DéjàVu
by IsisIsabella
Summary: My eyes flash open, my heart beats twenty times too fast, it feels as if I wake up for the first time. I only have to remind one thing: Destroy her.' She is a Jane Doe. Or isn't she? - BloomxSky all the way
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own anything (except this storyline duh ;)), unless otherwise mentioned**_

**Chapter i: All of my memories keep you here**

"_I will not marry anyone but you." His face appears to illuminate and it seems as if he wants to pose me the question this very moment. "Off course not now," I hurry, "I'm only 18 and we have plenty of time. It's time for me to fulfill my destiny and establish my kingdom."_

_I gaze at the thorns of the bloody roses that stung my ring finger. Blood, the same color as the rose, drips lonely and exasperatingly slow on the green grass._

"_I know you didn't want me to, but I can't wait anymore." _

"_You have loved him with great passion and kindness, for the time that was necessary. I am very sorry dear child, but he does not need you anymore."_

"_God I love you so much." A certain timbre of his voice frightens me and makes it sound as if it was the last time he can say this to me. I swallow hard and pull away. _

"_You leave me no choice."_

"_I love you too, Sky." _

_I look at the rose as it shines vividly on my night closet. I shake my head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts and feeling of an anxious foreboding._

"_How can you call yourself a human-being?" _

"_So… we were just a lie to you? A pretty waste of time?"_

_That's where she left me broken._

"_And what are you going to do? Kill me?"_

"_Bloom, what's wrong?_

"_Try me."_

_I don't want my worst memory perpetuated in my bedroom._

"_I don't love you."_

I am only surrounded by darkness, there is nothing else anymore. No memories. No pain; I have forsaken my identity, my birth. I will no longer be Bloom, the Crown Princess of the royal kingdom of Sparx. I have given up my ever-lasting love for Sky, it will be suppressed. I have bound my magic, it's ready to be unleashed at the right moment. For my vengeance.

"_I should've known you were to weak."_

"_But… I have given him up. I love him!"_

"_No, _I_ love him, he is my son." A blow. I feel I am colliding with the hard shingle. The last thing I perceive are her eyes, that turned pitch-black, that disgrace the ever-glistening rubies decorating her ears. They're red._

_Scarlet._

* * *

My eyes flash open, my heart beats twenty times to fast, racing racing like it will never cease to pound . It feels as if I'm waking up for the first time after a year-long time. For one moment, -only this moment I realize- everything is so obviously clear to me. Everything is perfectly lucid. I breathe heavily, it seems as if… someone ripped my chest open in order to release me.

Still, through the pain, the dizziness, the fuss that all the doctors and nurses make, I only remind myself of one thing before I let myself drift off again: '_Destroy her.'_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club**

Chapter i: Get to know me/ Blonde & blue

All my life I had been serving people. And I haven't complained one millisecond. I have never even given it any thought, it's disrespectful and very ungrateful.

All my life.

What is my life? My life is two months in the Royal Palace of Realia, two months in the Royal Palace of Concordia and more than one year of coma. Oh yeah, and a blur. I have some vague memories. Actually, I don't. I have flashbacks sometimes, but they really are just... flashes. I've been in a coma for sixteen months, doctors said it was a medical miracle.

I was a Jane Doe. Nobody came to visit me. Nobody knew who I was. I was nobody. I still feel nobody. I called myself Scarlett Rose because I had this strange premonition that my name involved... flowers? Don't ask why; I have these flashes and all I can do is analyse them and not go crazy. The doctors picked my last name: Sparx, because I was found there. I don't know what that place is, but I don't ever wanna go there again. I am not going to reveal how they found me and what happened, you don't know me well enough for that, stranger!

Besides, I have to go to work now; I may be a person suffering from complete amnesia, but even those people have to make a living. I found a new job in the Royal Palace of Eraklyon (that and it's my first day, so I'd better be on time!

--

"Scarlett Rose, female, aged..." he frowns his eyebrows after an annoyed sigh. "Doctors established that her age was 20, she claims she's twenty-two." I have no idea how old I am, but I don't think I can possibly be twenty! That's so young... so carefree! I have been through so much that I cannot imagine having a calm and happy childhood. So, I'm sitting (well, bowing is a more accurate term) in a spacious and sumptuously furnished drawing room, where I will meet the queen's first lady-in-waiting (who is also a lower peer), since I am to be at her service. The plump woman in front of me looks severe, but righteous.

"Hmpf. Where does she come from?"Correction: she's an arrogant nitwit.

"Her origin is...We don't know, milady." The man admits subservient.

"Skills?" She asks with the same monotone, indifferent tone.

"She has strong administrative, social and organizing skills and she can do several household chores including cleaning and cooking, and had a high result on her intelligent test. This means she probably has finished high school successfully. There were also traces of magic found in her body." What? I didn't know about that! That's just... rude! I asked doctors to determine my capacities and they withhold things? Crucial things?

"Interesting." She reacts slowly, reminding me of a lethargic snail. She looks at me with a mixture of repulsion and pride. She looks down on me. Why would she respect me? I was exchanged by the 

queen of Concordia. Yes, exchange is a euphemism. I only hope this job will be better than my previous one.

"The first three months are training: you'll get to know the palace and its servants and the people that matter." I dare to raise an eyebrow, astonished, but also offended.

"Not personally off course." She smiles scornfully, but her smile resembles a grin."You attend every banquet and ball at Eraklyon, plus you will assist me whenever I need you. Understood?" I nod humbly as a reply, which seems to appease her. I'm surprised when she resumes, after taking a tormented long breath.

"After that you have one month to prepare for the annual celebration of Eraklyon. If you can cope, you'll receive very important assignments, through which your reputation will improve remarkably." She finishes. That means I will still have a hard time, with respect but that now I am still nobody. I swallow hard.

I can do this, right?

"Tomorrow you will go on rounds with the head room maid, Loretta, so you can get a tour around the castle since everyone else is too busy to show you around." She huffs, making clear I am nothing more than a servant. I'm wondering, what does she have to do? Pick earrings with the queen? Choose red centerpieces instead of blue ones? Hush Scarlett. Be humble. Without wasting another word, she motions her servant. He nods at me and I understand that is a sign to get up.

"You can find you chamber at the end of the hall." The servant says and pushes me out of the door. Before I can ask which door and where exactly, he shuts the door for my baffled face.

"Shit!" I curse. I start walking nonetheless, but 'at the end of the hall', the corridor divides into two.

"Great." I mutter to myself and flop into my suitcases.

"Lost?" I get up, turn around and look into a pair of the brightest blue eyes and try not to stumble over my own feet.

"Kinda." I smile difficultly and raise my look.

"Oh Good God." The guy's mouth falls open and he staggers back, astounded.

"What? Is there something on my nose" I ask embarrassed and start rubbing my nostrils diligently.

"No, no." he rapidly interrupts my finger-exercise. "You're… beautiful." He shakes his head, obviously sentimental. "I'm sorry, your eyes look a lot like the ones of an… old friend."

"Okay." I nod awkwardly. He throws his hair back, cheery again, and speaks, putting out his hand.

"Prince Sky." My eyes widen in shock. This is so humiliating!

"Oh my God." I cover my mouth, shocked by my own discourteous behavior.

"Alright, alright, don't go sucking up right now."

"If you're the prince, then you must know where I am supposed to reside?" I retort fluently, surprised by my own boldness. His eyes flicker surprised, but then he smirks roguishly.

"Sassy." He pauses and puts his finger under my skin. "I like that." Something sparks as his skin touches mine. I jerk my head away, horrified and stare at him wide-eyed.

"I… I have to go." I stutter confused and spin around.

"But you don't know where to!" He exclaims, not-understanding and slightly frustrated. I don't answer and start running away from him as far and fast as I can. I sink down against a wall, sobbing quietly, when realization dawns upon me.

_I know him._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter iii: Who are you?

"You can never enter these pieces unless you have permission of the Royal family, remember that!" Loretta warns. I am being led around since 6 am, which means for my biorhythm that I am not yet awake. And oh my God, it's huge here! We have been walking for what seems hours and now we have finally reached the end, the royal suites (that I may never enter without permission of the royal family).

"If you need to make a very important request or annunciation to the queen, you push this button, it's a bell that will alert a lackey. Remember that." I don't know, Lor, that's a lot to remember. All of a sudden Loretta's beeper goes off with a shrill noise.

"Holy crap!" she curses to my astonishment. "Stay here. Don't move. I'll be right back." She rushes off surprisingly quick for someone of her anatomy. I sigh and start pacing up and down the corridor, as I notice a very nice torch holder. I touch its handle and admire the beautifully crafted iron Virginia creeper wound around it. Then I hear a crack and I realize I broke off the handle.

"I saw that." I hear behind me. "You're gonna pay for that, missy." I turn around anxiously, my hand glued to the torch holder.

"I was hoping I'd see you again." The voice talks in a more friendly way now.

"Sky." I shake my head, confused. "I mean, prince Sky." I bow briskly. I'm relieved it's him, and no nark-servant, but I'm still not quite at ease. Oh God, I can't stall this anymore, this handle is going to fall off. Please be fixed again, please fix yourself.

"You can let go now, it's okay. It's been broken before." Please be mended. I do not remove my hand, but I hope (ridiculous off course) that the object will be in the same state as I found it. I close my eyes, but they flash open abruptly when a strange tingling sensation goes through my hand and Sky removes it.

"Unbelievable. It's not broken." He says baffled. "How did you do that?" he asks suspiciously. I fidget nervously and straighten my skirt, trying to find a pose that's not totally embarrassing. He approaches me, he's so close that our noses almost touch.

"Who are you?" he pulls away and sits on the floor. "My girlfriend was able to do that, she could make things… heal. Unfortunately she could not heal herself."

"What happened to her?" I ask softly, sinking down next to him.

"I don't know. She disappeared." He jumps up, irritated. I don't know why, but I do not believe him.

"She just… disappeared?" I urge him to go on.

"Yes." He replies abruptly, making clear the topic is off limits. I put my right hand up so our fingers contact for a second He glances down, at me and sighs.

"The last thing she said to me was: 'I love you too, Sky.'"

_I look at the rose as it shines vividly on my night closet. I shake my head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts and feeling of an anxious foreboding._

_No, it will never wither._

"The rose." I mumble out loud. "It will never wither."

"What did you just say?"

"I remembered something. About my past." He plops down next to me again, with an interested face filled with curiosity.

"There are things you don't remember about your past?" he asks kindly, obviously attracted by my 'mystery' life.

"You ought to ask: 'Are there things you _do_ remember about your past?'" I huff, realizing the silliness of this situation. He just stares at me, waiting to go on.

"I had an accident." I explain. His eyes lighten up, his features seem to brighten. Hey!

"Four years ago." I lie. Some sense tells me not to reveal the exact time, because… well I don't know. "I was in a coma for one year and when I woke up, I didn't remember a thing. Except that my name had something to do with flowers. And that I liked…" I pause, pondering and decide to say: "Persuasion. You know, the book by Jane Austen. And 'Wuthering heights'." He looks as if his heart just skipped two beats and then commenced beating again regularly, as if nothing shocking had happened.

"And… sometimes I remember something. There is always a trigger. Though I am not sure what the trigger was this time. I would've understood if you had talked about a rose, that I would've recalled something, but it must have had some link, one way or another."

"Isn't a bit strange you still remember things, _three_ years after your coma?" Damned, that was a flaw.

"Isn't it a bit strange you looked like a ghost as I talked about a rose?" Nice save.

"I… gave one to my girlfriend over a year ago." He replies, surprisingly honest.

"_The_ girlfriend?"

"Yes. _The_." He pauses to regain his serene equanimity. Then he speaks in a solemn and lethargic tone: "It will bloom as long as our love stands. It shows my love for you. When it perishes, we both know what happened."

_I look at the scarlet flower, still burning ardently, and realize it will betray me._

What the hell does this mean? It's not right. Something in this… vision tells me he is not telling the truth. Then it dawns upon me. He's lying to me. What seemed honesty a few minutes ago, is replaced by caution and cheating.

"You're lying to me. You're at least concealing something from me." I sigh and look him in the eye. "It's not like I blame you, I understand you can't tell everything to a stranger. But I would much rather like it if you just shut the fuck up instead of telling falsehoods." I get up, incensed but at the same time relieved and relaxed, because I know I am right. "I hope we can talk another time." He leaps to his feet all of a sudden and pushes me roughly to the wall.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" I hiss infuriated.

"Just checking something." Before I realize it, he grabs my chin tightly. He wants something for me. Well, obviously. He looks into my eyes, but I let my eyelids descend; he's looking for something that I cannot and do not wish to give him. Oh my God, that is so twisted, he's looking for his girlfriend in me. As he moves his lips too close to mine, I pull away rapidly.

"Are you crazy? You can't just…" I stammer, not knowing how to react to this failed kissing-trial of him.

"Why not? I am the crown prince of Eraklyon. Plus, you're at the service at the palace, thus…" he winks. "You have to obey me." He smirks, oh so self-satisfied. Then he just waits, anticipating my undoubtedly very interesting reply.

"You're into SM these days, crown prince Sky? Kinky." I retort and leave him standing there, all alone.

He has no idea who he dealing with. I suppose that's why he asked who I am. I smirk as I hear the tinkling of metal falling on the floor. The torch holder.

**A/N: Short chappie, but … Sky/Bloom all the way, no? **

**Joy-lovely: **thanks, I'll keep going xD

**Angelgrl31392: ** if you review more, I'll be able to know the digits in your pen name by hard! : ) so you should review ;)

**Rocker05: **well, aren't you… stunned. Yeah, I liked their first meeting too. Wait 'till the flashbacks appear, they're cute too ;) Yeah the name 'Scarlett Rose' has multiple meanings, one of them is already partly divulged in this chapter. And I think it's a gorgeous name! Thank you sooo much for your reviews, they always cheer me up and make me want to write 'mucho' more : ) Thanx x33 !!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**** Okay, so it's a bit confusing; but the first part here starts in italics, that's chapter 3 seen through Sky's eyes. The words in normal font are memories of Sky (about Bloom) After the big line, I move on to the current story, first still Sky's POV, after the 2nd line it's Scarlett's POV again (just how you guys like it :))**

Chapter iv: From another point of view

_Hey, it's her. What is she doing here, in the royal suites? Maybe she's looking for me. My heart leaps joyfully, but then I remember. Right, she probably got the tour. Still doesn't explain why's she's standing here, as if she's expecting someone… or something to happen. I peep at her and from the corner of my eye I see that she noticed the torch holder. Uh oh, something's gonna crack. Her beautiful milky white fingers travel over the cold metal, almost.. caressing it. God I wish I was that torch holder. Crack. _

_Or not._

_I step out of the shadows and speak:_

"_I saw that. You're gonna pay for that, missy." She turns around slowly, probably feeling caught. As I see her face again… I can't help it, I weaken. "I was hoping I'd see you again." To my surprise–and probably hers too- she addresses me by my first name, but she quickly recovers, flushing. She's still holding the torch holder, but I know it's going to fall off the moment she will let go of it._

"_You can let go of it now, it has been broken before." I smile, trying to make her more comfortable. To my surprise, she still doesn't move, looking slightly entranced and I lay my hand on hers, shocked as I feel a strange tingling sensation going through my body and her eyes flash open as if she just woke up._

"_Unbelievable. It's not broken." I establish, flabbergasted. "How did you do that?" She doesn't reply and… I can't get anything out of her, even when I ask her bluntly who she is. I talk about her, she seems interested. She asks too many questions, I ignore them. She puts her hand up sweetly, touching my finger tips. I decide to tell her… some things. After all she doesn't know me, she doesn't know a thing about me. I let out a tormented sigh, which she seems to buy._

"_The last thing she said to me was: _

"I love you too Sky." She whispers to my shoulder, looking as if she's trying to shake something off, something that bothers her.

"_The rose. It will never wither." Scarlett Rose mumbles out of the blue. What the hell was that?!_

"_What did you just say?"_

"_I remembered something. About my past." I plops down next to her again, probably looking very interested._

"_There are things you don't remember about your past?" I ask nicely._

"_You ought to ask: 'Are there things you _do _remember about your past?'" She huffs, rolling her eyes at her own utterance. She continues and tells me she had an accident._

"_When?" I ask hopefully._

"_Four years ago." She answers, unflinching. I want to ask: 'Really?' because I'm not too convinced, but I swallow the impudent question. She goes on and tells me about her coma, recalling that she liked a book by Jane Austen. My heart just skipped four beats. Persuasion. Damned. _

"_And… sometimes I remember something. There is always a trigger. Though I am not sure what the trigger was this time. I would've understood if you had talked about a rose, that I would've recalled something, but it must have had some link, one way or another."_

"_Isn't a bit strange you still remember things, _three _years after your coma?" I query, under the appearance of being polite, but really grilling her._

"_Isn't it a bit strange you looked like a ghost as I talked about a rose?" Shit, she has a point there. I guess I could tell her that as well, it's not like she can do anything with that information._

"Bloom.." I take her hand in mine and see she is making a great effort not to cry. "I know he brought a bouquet of white flowers, but you are so much more." I pause to see the effect of my words.

"Here is my ring for you." I show her the magical rose I created for her. "It will bloom as long as our love stands. It does not only represent my love for you, it also shows if you still love me. When it perishes, we both know what will happen." _I need to get out of this memory. I shake my head._

"_I… gave one to my girlfriend over a year ago." _

"The _girlfriend_?"

"_Yes_. The." _I pause, pondering. I can't tell her the whole truth, so I delete a small part, not very important. "It will bloom as long as our love stands. It shows my love for you. When it perishes, we both know what happened_."

_She seems preoccupied with her own thoughts, but then she raises her look at me, and to my astonishment she says:_

"_You're lying to me. You're at least concealing something from me." She looks me in the eyes, making me feel guilty."It's not like I blame you, I understand you can't tell everything to a stranger. But I would much rather like it if you just shut the fuck up instead of telling falsehoods." I stare wide-eyed at her at the f-word. "I hope we can talk another time." This is just too good to be true. How does she know? I'm not really conscious of what I do next, namely pinning her to the wall._

"_What the hell do you think you're doing?" Her voice sizzles in fury._

"_Just checking something." I reply and lean in, to kiss her. To my surprise, she pulls away, looking disheveled._

"_Are you crazy? You can't just…"_

"_Why not? I am the crown prince of Eraklyon. Plus, you're at the service at the palace, thus…" I wink at her smugly. "You have to obey me." I smirk, enjoying my triumph._

"_You're into SM these days, crown prince Sky? Kinky." That's when she leaves me. Unbelievable. _

_That is so damn hot._

* * *

"Dude, that is so freaking hot." My best friend Brandon agrees. "But you do know, it can't be her, right?" he asks hopefully, making an appeal to my common sense.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." I roll my eyes, brushing aside his objections.

"Sky, I'm serious, I'm telling you as a friend, don't go there again."

"Wait until you see her." I smile, imperturbable.

"Please tell me you're joking." He begs with a vexed look.

"Bro, that fiancée of yours made you way too overprotective."

"Whatever man, you're gonna get hurt again if you don't pay attention. She has done it before, you know. It wouldn't surprise me if someone else did it too, only by using her memory. You're not untouchable, Sky. When it comes to her, you're fragile like the ruby jewels adorning your mother's ear." I eye him, stunned by his frankness. "That' all I'm saying." He finishes, satisfied with his little speech.

* * *

How is this possible? How could I ever have seen him? Was I a servant in his palace? I have to look for clues. I'm going to rummage through my belongings the officers hit upon when they found me again. The clothes I was wearing do not look very tidy anymore, rather… ruffled. No wonder, considering how they discovered me. I take the checked blue skirt I was wearing that fatal morning. Well, 'morning'; they found me at 0210, military time. It has two small pockets, in which I find nothing. Next, I fetch a light blue tank top and a royal blue striped short-sleeved sweater. Hey, there's a small pocket sown on the fabric. How come I had never noticed that before? Odd.

Anxiously and feverish of excitement, I slowly put my hand in the pocket and pull out a plastic bag, with a small dingy note. I grab the red, hard and shiny object out of the sack and stare at it in awe.

"No way!" I whisper and stare at the diamond, a rhomb-shaped ruby, glistening in my palm. I startle as I hear a very loud and severe knock on my door. A stern voice:

"Scarlett Rose Sparx, open the door, the queen wishes to speak to you."

Excuse me?

**A/N: Now that's just mean! Why did I stop there? why didn't Scarlett read the note? What the hell is on the note? I want to know!! Anyway, nothing shocking happened, except the fact that Scarlett is discovering diamonds in her pockets. Well, that's nice, I want clothes like hers please! Oh and I just had the put Sky's POV because that's how you know that he really lied to her and what he actually thinks about her. Pretty interesting, no? And this was the time to reintroduce good ol' Brandon. Oh yeah, question for you all. I want Scarlett to meet some of Sky's friends, but which one?**

**The options are**

**A) Stella: wasn't she her super BFF?**

**B) Musa: isn't she the coolest? **

**C) Flora: wouldn't she be able to tell the difference between Bloom and Scarlett?**

**So LET ME KNOW: A B or C! thank you! (oh yeah, to let me know, you should to review, I still cannot read minds –I'm working on it, though.)**

**PhoebeTheQueenOfDragons: **Finally! There you are! I missed you! I wondered where you were. How are you? : ) And answer to the question (A,B or C) pretty please? With a cherry on top? Thank you x33!!

**Winxrocks4me: **sorry about the confusing part, wasn't it only the first chapter? Wasn't it improving after chapter 1? I prefer the phrase… 'mysterious' : ) thanx 4 the review xoxo

**Angelgrl31392: **yes yes! I know them by hard! Muhaha! Yeey, I'm happy now! But you shouldn't cease to review, I could forget them off course : D xD

**Kitcool: **Thank you very much, miss : ) I want your opinion too on the question which 'girl'friend Scarlett should meet first of all? Stella, Musa or Flora? Or maybe Layla? Lemme know!

**Bloomforever: **thanx hon! Who told you that? Why do you think Scarlett is Bloom? :p

**Rocker05: **okay I agree, I have been going a bit supersonic fast, but don't worry, I will slow down if you want me too?! Well, there is a –more or less- logic explanation for Prince Sky's unseemly behavior. I don't mind you with your manga's : D I hate physics too :) Catch you later! x33


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter v: From another POV?**

"Scarlett Rose! I repeat! The queen wishes to speak you? Open the door!" The voice urged. The chestnut-haired girl (**A/N: Scarlett Rose's hair is brown, that will be elucidated later on)** shot panicky glances all around the room frantically, as if she wanted to hide herself, but she wanted to hide _something_. Her eyes cast a glance at the silver-plated window frame. She reached up, to the wood that edged the top of the window pane and positioned the ruby carefully, unaware off the fact that the precious note that contained even more precious words, reeled down onto the marble floor, slipping under her queen-sized romantic canopy with creamy baldachins.

Next, she unbolted the heavy oak door, hoping she didn't look too… guilty. She tucked a stray of lost light brown hair behind her ear and ogled with her remarkable sapphire eyes (that did not quite possess the spark the blonde crown prince had been looking for in this composed and even serene, yet confused girl) at the peculiar picture. Two lackeys in red livery and one hell of a lady, all three of them looking at her expectantly. She wanted to blurt out: 'What do you want?', but chose for politeness. The tall, however somehow plump woman (she had no waist, even though she tried to conceal that flaw with a richly decorated girdle) eyed her cautiously and unnaturally, almost... checking her out. Little did the young woman know what the 'grande dame' was after. And no, the noble female in front of her was defiantly not the queen of Eraklyon, that would have caused (from both sides) more consternation, agitation and mostly… terror.

"Lady Clarissa." The puzzled girl established keenly, oblivious to the reason why Clarissa had come to honor her with a visit. Well, how _could_ she be aware of the plans of the noble woman who had 'welcomed' her in the palace at her first day of work? Yes, it was Lady Clarissa who had given Scarlett her duties and tasks and it was Lady Clarissa who… Let's not let the cat out of the bag yet.

"And to which occasion do I owe the honor of this welcome visit?" She queried politely, feeling like a huge suck-up.

"The queen is not here, but _I _have very important matters to discuss with you, concerning the queen." She also wanted to see the girl's reaction to the secret belongings that she, Lady Clarissa had trusted back to Scarlett Rose, who was in fact the rightful owner. She definitely wanted to know if the girl had read the crucial note she had written meticulously. She knew who the young woman was and she wished to help her, make her realize who she really was. Make her believe what she meant to people, that she was as worthy of her great love prince Sky (she hadn't remembered that yet, sadly) as she possibly could be. And more.

Scarlett looked nervous and agitated, but nothing indicated that she had just remembered everything about her past life. That wasn't Clarissa's intention either, because everything needed to happen cautiously under the watchful eye of her queen. Who was she kidding? The queen wouldn't suspect a thing; she was too busy picking blue centerpieces instead of red ones. The boy could form a problem, though. She had to keep him at a distance, because she of all people knew very well how destructive the ardent love between the two royals could be.

That was not to be worried about now, as she understood that Scarlett was merely confused, not a bit illuminated. She decided to change her tack.

"The queen wishes that you organize a small gathering for her."

"A small gathering?" Scarlett repeated, verifying.

"Only 200 people will attend this elite gala." Lady Clarissa smiled knowingly as she saw the chestnut-haired girl swallow. "So it can even be called _tiny._ But we prefer to name them _exclusive_." She received an uncertain look, soaking her with empathy for the delicate creature in front of her. She resisted the urge to envelop her in a comforting hug (like the old times) and opted for the other option.

"Oh don't worry my dear." She soothed her with an awfully recognizable, though agreeable motherly tone. She spoke the next words without thinking, because she wasn't really sure of her next utterance.

"Everything will be just fine."

**A/N: Okay, who's lady Clarissa? Well, she's a new character, so you won't know her (it's not Bloom's mother or anything like that ;)) but guesses and hints are always welcome (I'm not sure what her relation to Scarlett will be yet.)**

**I postponed the Bloom/Scarlett-friendsaction for a while, I want some Scarlett/BloomxSky-action first, if you know what I mean? Seriously, nothing dirty : ) I just adapted the story a bit. **

**Anyhow I'm back! And I'd appreciate the reviews because otherwise I might think all my readers died while I was in America and that would be a shame!**

**Byebye pumpkins of mine**

**xD**

**IsisIsabella**

**bloomforever: **a useful review! Good heavens that feels heavenly ; )! I am sooo glad you picked up the Bloom-flowers references! And I'm even happier you chose a character! Thanx thanx x33

**PhoebeTheQueenOfDragons: **No prob, I'm already happy you're here. Tell me if I already asked; but what's your novel about? Will it be long? I'm curious!! :D x

**fairydreamer29: **hey, that's actually not such a bad idea! It could be very interestingly chaotic! I like it : ) More ideas? : ) 'cause you're doing really well : D Well maybe I should stop stealing your ideas ; )

thanx xoxo

**angelgrl31392: **I _always_ continue, no ;)? Well, thanx for asking so nicely x

**Jaaziniah: **You're very enthusiast! I like it!! I have a bunch of new chapters ready… :D xD

**Destination's d e s t i n y: **ah there it is! Your new nick name! I remember ;) If I were you, I'd have that internet checked!! Bye x

**Viv the Rabid Ballet Freak**: damned, and I always try to pay so much attention to it. Can you tell me where exactly? 'cause I have read it over and over like thirty-seven times and after a while you can't 

see anything wrong anymore. Oh the chapters from the writer's POV are supposed to be in the past, otherwise that sounds just weird. Thanx for the comment though, I'll pay attention to it.

**hanzy-danzy****: **well I like the idea of them meeting once before briefly and then meeting again as Sky introduces them, that could be kinda funny :D Perhaps perhaps :): D x

**Mikly: **yay me :D Thanx for the compliment with the flashbacks, I was already wondering when someone would finally notice that! (just kidding) Seriously, the idea with all them together meeting her is really good. Yeah you ought to be very confused!! I kinda succeeded in that. In 3-4 chapters you will know a lot more, trust me (but not enough though, you have to continue reading the story!! :D))


	6. Let's party! And kiss! And remember!

**_Chapter vi_**: Let's party! And kiss! And remember!

4.01 PM The party is due in… -I glance at my watch in anxiety and unexplainable anticipation- four hours and I still haven't figured out a table arrangement. The term 'arrangement' is wide. It includes decoration, place… everything. Now you're wondering why. Well I have this problem, minor problem really, namely… _the tables aren't here yet_! Some of the tables are in the dining hall adjacent to the middle ballroom (there are 8 smaller ones and about 5 larger –that means 'gigantic'- pieces of that kind, but for the ease, let's call this one the middle one), but have 20 square tables and 20 rectangular ones and off course that would be a mess. Unless… Eureka! I have an idea!

4.54 PM Yes, I fixed it! I am brilliant. At this very moment servants are placing the tables and I should working on the arrangement. For example I can't put prince Sky in between two single attractive princesses (that is not jealousy, it's.. security). However I _can _surround him with unmarried crown princesses (crown princesses and crown princes can never marry, because the rule of one of the kingdoms –or maybe both- would be in danger).

7.50 PM The first guests should arrive any minute now, though Clarissa warned me that most of them would be 'fashionably late'.

8.10 PM So…it's already ten past 8.

8.30 PM Is my watch wrong? I go check ten other clocks throughout the palace. Are _all_ the clocks wrong?

9 PM Where _is _everyone?

9.01 PM Am I at the wrong party?

9.02 PM Did I forget to send the invitations?

9.03 PM Clarissa going to KILL me!

9.04 PM I hear something landing on the ground with an agreeable loud thud, followed by other similar noises. I rush outside, where I can finally greet my guests.

9.30 PM Everything is going well, I manage to placate the chef, she was freaking out big time. (she was new just like me, the other servants were perfectly serene, but they didn't think it was necessary to give me a heads up)

10 PM Bon appétit everyone! I will now retire to the servants' quarters to have a more modest meal.

Midnight The banquet is finished (there were only 5 courses, because we have opted in favor of a walking buffet –that means servants will circulate with food and booze, since royal people are lazy asses-) and now everyone is standing up and the ponderous dining tables are magically transformed into elegant bar tables. Some of the guests start dancing gracefully in order to find or beg for a partner, but the bulk of the people is just jabbering away. Excuse me, royals don't chatter, they converse and associate with their own better kind. Apparently the queen has disappeared with her ladies-in-waiting, which is just rude, leaving it to Sky and Lady Clarissa to entertain these –well let's be honest- not very demanding guests. They are particular about who has to amuse them, but they hardly be called fussy. Lady C. (I don't actually call her that, it's just easier for me. And you.) inquired 

after me and now she wants me to meet some nobles. The sixteen first ones are boring, the seventeenth one's a charm.

"This is Scarlett Rose Sparx." Lady Clarissa introduces me. She stomps me, so I bow curtly. Why do I have the feeling I know this guy? I mean, nobleman.

"Nice to meet you." I smile looking into the inscrutable grey eyes. "Sir."

"I am the count of Wehrinde, but you can call me Alistair." He sounds almost… humble towards me.

"Very honoured to make your acquaintance sir." I bow again, deeper, reversing the roles. He lifts his chin surprised at this gesture and speaks more boldly.

"If I had known the party planners who worked here are so beautiful, I would come more often to these soirées." I am sure you would. I try not to laugh at his lame, though charming moves.

"I am very obliged sir." I merely reply. Lady C. drags me away from him, hissing in my ear.

"What were you thinking? He's a nobleman and he just have you, a servant, a compliment. A huge compliment. I mean…" the rest of her words seems to float around me somewhere, but I do not make the effort to grasp them. Where is prince Sky, I wonder. That count guy has just left. Damned. Nothing worth looking at anymore. Lady C shoves a note into my hands and commands me to deliver to the 'royal highness in the white suite in the men's room'. Great, that means I'll be gaped at my old ugly men with white beards smoking stinky cigars and pipes.

1 AM I'm entering the room and as I predicted, 50 aged men stuffed with tobacco are gawking at me, the young fresh appearance standing in the doorway. None of them is wearing a white creamy suit. Maybe… oh hey there's that count dude. He takes my arm and guides me somewhere more quiet and less smoky.

"If I may be so bold, why are you here?"

"Why, that is bold." I smile, fake slighted. He doesn't get the joke though and puts on a solemn face.

"I offer you my sincerest apologies, milady." I dare not to say I am definitely _not_ worth calling 'milady', but screw it.

"Apologies accepted." I pause and look at his hand that is resting on his knee rather…impatient. "I came to look for someone. I bear a message." I try to sound grave.

"And who might the important receiver be?"

"I have no idea. But he's supposed to wear a white suit." The grin on his face disappears.

"Well, your man just entered the room." He motions, gritting his teeth slightly. I quickly spin my head, looking into those very familiar turbulent blue eyes.

"God no." I whisper to myself. "That damned Clarissa." I mumble, a bit louder.

"Aah lady C, she's a keeper." He smirks again.

"Shut up." I slap his knee and glance at Prince Sky again. "Can you take me somewhere?" I ask out of the blue. The count looks at me questioningly. "Me and prince Sky…" He nods.

"I understand, with everything that happened." I want to ask what he means, but I fear prince Sky has spotted me so I let him drag me away slowly and carefully.

1.10 AM "Why do I have this strange feeling I have met you before?" He takes my question in as… playful and smiles

"Because you have." His face approaches mine and he whispers "Don't you remember?" and then… "Forget about Sky."

"_Jezus! Forget about him! He doesn't want you like I do."_

"_How do you know?" I asked through tears._

"_He told me."_

"_You mean his mother told you."_

"_Why are you being so hard on yourself? You can't change this!" He grabs my arm and forces me to look into his eyes. The serene silver grey is the complete opposite of the restless lively azure blue in Sky's eyes. Prince Sky. I lower my eyes in acceptance and he softly presses his lips on mine._

"Alistair…" I murmur quietly as he pulls away. He looks at me eagerly.

"Were you my boyfriend?"

**A/N: Everyone together: NOOOOOOO! **

**So um thanx for the people who reviewed, but I was wondering: does my story suck? Have my readers disappeared? Aren't there enough people with alerts/favs on this story?**

**I'm losing self-confidence here so please please review, I do not want to blackmail you guys (you know like 'I won't update unless I get 10 reviews for this chap) but I really want your opinion! It keeps me going!**

**X**

**IsisIsabella**

**bloomforever: thank you for telling me you still like it. I appreciate it big time. Where are you from? USA? Xoxo**

**winxprincess: if you keep reading, I'll keep updating asap!! Thanx for the review!! xD**


	7. The Identity Test

"_Were you my boyfriend?"_

Chapter vii: Do you know who I am?

He doesn't reply, but we remain in the same position, namely he leaning into me and me anticipating.

"Alistair? Is there a simple answer?" He takes a breath, relieved.

"No, it's not. Glad you remember that."

"Does Prince Sky have something to do with it?" I ask curiously. "How do you know me? I mean, what's my name?" As his lips part to speak those words that could mean my redemption, I hear someone behind me.

"Scarlett?" That's not my name. Shit, it is. And it is cautiously pronounced by the glorious crown prince of Eraklyon. I avert my eyes from Alistair reluctantly to whirl around and look him into the eye.

"Have you ever considered taking a fairy pet and naming it 'Scarlett'? I mean, then you can call it whenever you need it. Or don't need it, 'because you seem to have taken a great affection to my name." He doesn't seem amused and snorts as he sees my companion.

"I should have known." He smiles bitterly, soaked with self-pity. I don't understand. I mean: 'huh?'

"I have a message from someone. For you." I say, handing him the note Lady C. gave me. As he looks up after reading his eyes shift from left to right, from Alistair to me, from me to Alistair.

"Who wrote this?" he asks with a trembling voice.

"Lady Clarissa gave it to me, but she didn't say who it was from. What does it say?" I ask, almost anxious by his sudden uncertain and shaky appearance. I walk over to him and unfold it again. Six words are written in macabre red capitals: 'KEEP HIM AWAY FROM HER.'

Suddenly I feel his firm grasp clasped around my arm and he pulls me closer to him protectively. He gives Alistair the most despising, dirty look I have ever seen and slowly speaks:

"You shouldn't come here anymore. Don't feel welcome."

* * *

"So… why were you so upset when you saw the count of Wehrinde?"

"He did things with. To." He corrects himself. "My girlfriend."

"Bloom?"

"Yeah." He sighs. "He was no match for her off course. She has beaten the witches, Baltor, Darkar, She saved my life. I almost died and she cured me. One time she healed us when we were all weakened in a fight. She was a princess, heir to the throne of Sparx."

"Sparx? Hey, that's my…" I suppose that's what's called: realization dawned upon me. "…last name." I complete my sentence, slower. He smiles at my confusion and continues.

"She was busy reconstructing her home planet. It was dead, she wanted to make it live again, so she started working on it on her own. It was crazy and she was pulling it off. And then…" I look at him questioningly.

"Well, she disappeared." He finishes.

"Right" I nod unbelievingly.

"In what kind of accident were you involved?"

"I don't know. Mystical." I laugh mirthlessly.

"That could be an explanation." He jumps up excitedly.

"What if Bloom had an accident? Mystical?" he adds, grinning.

"But you said she disappeared." I raise an eyebrow at him.

"But that doesn't mean she couldn't have had an accident. Maybe when she left Sparx she was attacked!"

"Oh no." I shake my head, then more decisive and faster: "No, no, no, no."

"Why not? This could be your past! Everything you can't remember!"

"But you can't prove that!" I retaliate sadly.

"I know a way." he offers me an arm and guides me to the Royal Gardens, expounding his plan.

* * *

"NO!" I exclaim, indignantly.

"You're scared of knowing the truth, I understand that." He tried to persuade me, but I shook my head vehemently, disagreeing most utterly.

"No, you _don't_ understand, that's the point."

"But why can't you just _try_? There is no harm in it, is there?"

"Oh of course not!" I sneered. "It is perfectly fine that you want to kiss me in order to discover whether I am a good substitute for your ex, or just loser." I added with a lot of sarcasm in my voice, which had risen to high-pitched. "I mean, I saw her picture! She doesn't really look like me."

"You have no idea." He whispers breathlessly, probably wondering if I could get any prettier when I was angry.

"I mean, the hair? It's brown, in case you haven't noticed. And hers is… orange!" I blab.

"There's a copper glow in your hair, you can't deny that. Besides, maybe you dyed it."

"Oh yes, without my knowledge." I retort sarcastically.

"Then the accident must have caused it."

"It doesn't make sense! Plus, my eyes are totally different."

"They are exactly the same, except…"

"the fact that they are totally different! I know!" I exclaimed, starting to get a little frustrated.

"They only miss that spark; it can easily be stirred up. I can help you." I turn my face away from him, anxiously and then I meet his gaze again.

No.

He would not make me believe this irrational fairytale of his.

"I do not have magic. Not even a trifle. Your ex," He flinches at the monosyllabic word ", was a freaking nuclear reactor. I'm sorry." I whisper softly and I lay a hand on his shoulder to console him. "I really am." I elaborate tenderly.

"It's just… I wanted to believe it, I guess. I miss her so much."

"_The way she laughed._

_The way she looked at me when she was upset, or angry or furious._

_The way she kicked ass._

_The way she loved me."_

He looks up at me and taking advantage of my confusion and he kisses me sweetly but shortly on the lips, it can merely be called a touch. As he notices I do not pull away or start screaming as if he has just molested me, he leans in again, closing the space between us. His lips brush against mine and I … linger. This is what he has been waiting for. He softly bites my bottom lip, demanding entrance. As he's still standing up, he places himself on the bench next to me, pinning me against the cold stone with his body. He lets his hands travel over my body, kissing my collarbone and neck, leaving a purplish trace there. He puts his hand on my thigh, making me shiver. I feel him his right hand creeping under my dress, higher and higher. _That_ I definitely do feel.

I pull away, horrified, but serene as always, and say decisively:

"I am _not_ her."

**A/N: Just a question: do you people mind the kissing and the making out? 'cause I kinda held back. More passion? Or more talk talk? Or more sweetness? Oh she will meet the friends in the next chapter. Or the one after that. No, no, the next one! **

**R&R**

**xD!!**

**Winxrocks4me: **well, short and strong : ) Thanx a lot for the review!! Continue ) xD

**Winxprincess: **I loved reading your story (as I already said in my review!) and I hope you continue reading mine! Tomorrow I'll take another look at your story (I want to know what happens next)!! Promise D xoxo

**Destination's d e s t i n y: **you really want Scarlett Rose to have a boyfriend? You seriously want to sacrifice BloomSky because you don't want to be everybody?! Think about the consequences, missy! Just kidding (haha funny moi) Maybe you are a little… well wrong : ) Sorry for the kissy (and more) in this chappy ( I even cut in the kissing part. The original kissy version was much longer ; ))

I'm already crazy, don't worry about that.

xD

**angelgrl31392: **thank you! x3


	8. Meet The Friends

Chapter viii: Meet the friends.

Prince Sky told me to meet him in the hallway by the torch holder. The broken one. He was quite adamant about it, he wants me to meet other people, apparently his kind of people, which is ridiculous considering my position in this palace. I do know however that it would be very foolish to refuse his friendship.

"Bloom?!" I hear a voice behind me squeal, both hopeful and astonished.

"Bloom!" again, more persistent, with a hint of anger.

"_No! I can't!" I shriek suddenly._

"_Come on, it's not that big of a deal, people fall in love with dazzling unreachable princes all the time."_

"_Don't be ridiculous! I can't." I realize, getting frustrated._

"_Just admit that you like him." The blonde urges, nudging me. I turn around exasperated and shout:_

"Stella!" I exclaim annoyed. I look into a pair of wide astounded hazel eyes. What did I just say?

"Hey!" a more familiar voice calls out heartily. Sky's coming towards me and presses a soft, tender, loving –holy mother of God, stop it Scarlett!- so eum friendly kiss on my cheek, brushing the corner of my mouth, after which he grins boyish coyly. He kisses me as if we're a thing.

"Prince Sky. Hello." I stammer.

"Oh I see you have met Stella." He smiles comforting again. "Don't worry, she doesn't bite. You have to forgive me for not introducing you properly immediately, but I'm waiting for _her_" he nods his head at Stella "lovely fiancé to show up. Late. Ah, there he is." A boy, rather a young man, handsome with a very open-hearted and friendly face is approaching us in a regular, hurried pace.

"Brandon." I whisper breathlessly, catching the slender blonde's attention again.

"What did she just…?" she asks with a very suspicious look, but she's interrupted by prince Sky.

"So, now that we're all here… Princess Stella, heir to the throne of Solaria and Brandon, my squire and best bud." He laughs shortly. The brown-haired boy looks at me and his mouth just falls open. Wide.

"It's her." He says, looking for affirmation. He shakes his head, recomposing. "Is it her?" Same sentence, only interrogative this time.

"This… my dear friend." He pauses for a dramatic effect. "Is Scarlett Rose Sparx."

"Sparx?" Stella snorts unbelievingly. "You're kidding."

"Jezus Christ." Brandon remarks keenly. "This looks like a very lame joke."

"I'm sorry, did you just say I am a very lame joke?" I query.

"No, no…" he rushes. "Off course not, it's just that you look a lot like a friend of us."

"Yes, I know, Bloom." I resist the urge to roll my eyes."But could you three stop staring at me as if I'm an ape in a circus." I raise my eyebrows at my own unfamiliar words. Huh. Quirky. "What's an ape? And a circus?"

"She's intriguing." Prince Sky clarifies.

"I rather approve of her. I guess." Stella states. Hey, I don't blame her, I wouldn't even like myself at this moment.

"She's.. frank." Brandon contributes.

"Prince Sky, I'm really sorry to interrupt this incredibly interesting conversation concerning the even more interesting topic, but can I go now?"

"She addresses you as 'prince'? "Stella arches a perfectly epilated blonde eyebrow questioningly and mockingly.

"Dude, that's just twisted." Another useful contribution from the brunette. He's a real smart one.

"Scarlett, you can never ever call me prince in front of these people" he explains slowly and very clearly as if I were a toddler. Or dumb. "–they're my friends-, okay? Besides, it makes me feel so.. cocky." I can't help but huff.

"Well you _are_." I mumble under my breath.

"What did you just announce, miss Sparx?" he asks teasingly and provocatively (but the kind of provocative that doesn't expect any rebellion; I'll show him)

"I said 'you _are_. Cocky.'" The couple starts laughing

"That was fab!" Stella cries out, enthusiast.

"I'm going to let that one pass." Sky declares seriously.

"I'm sorry Sky. I hope I did not hurt your feelings, Sky?" I inquire, emphasizing his name exaggeratedly.

"I think I'll live, especially with those impeccable apologies." He smirks. "Now, will you accompany us to the royal gardens?" he asks as if it's a foregone conclusion. It is not to me.

"But.. I do not have permission to enter the Royal Gardens, unless I have to be there for my job, accompanied by a member of the Royal family of Eraklyon." Or unless I have a relationship with a royal,' I add in silence, in my mind.

"Come on." He offers me an arm. I move away slowly, recalling what happened last time.

"Why not?" he urges, still smiling.

"I don't want to lose my job and…You are aware of the second condition, aren't you? Well, it's _not_ an option." He looks at me questioningly.

"It's just… you're you and …" his face pales. "I'm just.. me." I try to smile weakly at this lame sentence, but I fail miserably. He doesn't speak anymore, his smile has faded quickly. I wonder…

"Is something wrong?" I ask, worriedly, cause he starts looking very awful right now (I know it's not a nice thing to say). I want to touch his arm, but he snatches it away aggressively.

"You." He spits out and stomps off. I whirl around slowly and look at my two brand new friends.

"What the hell?"

**A/N: What is it in Scarlett's words that made Sky freak? And **_**are**_** they a thing now? **

**Next chapter: a part of Bloom's history is revealed. And Scarlett discovers something… new**

**THANX FOR THE REVIEWS! I ****LOVE**** YOU! (my boyfriend wouldn't like to read this :))**

**Angelgrl31392: **really? You trust me sooooo well? Or are you so naïve? ) xD

**Winxrocks4me: **why wouldn't I? you're a great reader and you review! What else can a girl wish for? Thanx for the comment on the kissing, I'll definitely obey (and that means something 'cause I'm usually a very tough-minded, not-obeying person) D xoxo

**Destination' d e s t i n y: ** you have a real weird sense of humor. Okay, the explanation doesn't change the fact that you're crazy. More passion is fine by me, but you know I had to ask the readers, maybe there are tender childrens' souls here, I mean, I can't corrupt the innocent. You talk a lot. Me like : ) x3

**Winxprincess: **getting high on good stories is veeeery good. But don't take drugs! :D (I had to send that message, you know, because it is so important) sighs If you'll excuse me, I'm going to write some BloomxSky action : D

**Bloomforever: ** off course it wasn't bad, I totally held back. So I can't ask anything else like… 'what other series do you like?', because that makes me sound like a stalker? I'm not trying to find out exactly where you live, you know, I was just being interested. And I should stop spilling nonsense now. Bye! xD x3!!


	9. She Was Blackmailed?

Chapter ix: She was blackmailed?

"What was that all about?"

"I'll take care of her." Stella nods at her soon-to-be-husband. "You go after him, he needs it way more than this girl." Brandon smiles shortly at me and gives Stella a quick peck on the lips.

"And baby?"Stella stops him. "Talk some sense into him, please."

"You got it." He winks and rushes of in the same direction Sky went.

"Do you have your own private bedroom?" She asks agitatedly. I cock an eyebrow.

"Duh."

"You shouldn't take that for granted, you know." She remarks. I put up an obedient, contrite face.

"Trust me, I know." I reply, recalling that horrible time in the previous palace. "Here it is." I open the door for her, letting her enter first.

"You have a beautiful room, Scarlett. Or is it Scarlett Rose?"

"Just Scarlett is fine. Just don't call me 'Scar', that sounds kinda weird." I say, making her chuckle.

"So did you do this yourself?" she queries, motioning at the carefully draped canopy.

"God I only wish! It was like that when I arrived here."

"Really? Who's your superior?" She inquires, interested.

"The queen. Well, actually it's Lady Clarissa." I correct myself. I have never even seen the queen!

"Is she new? I don't know her." She looks as if she's pondering really hard in order to find out who Lady C is.

"Well is she is, I couldn't possibly know 'cause I'm even newer!" After that, the conversation kinda – well that's an understatement- flags. "Tell me about her." I finally speak.

"She was. Is his first and only love." The blonde starts theatrically. "She came from Earth. Well, that's what we thought at first. We found it rather extraordinary that an earthling could be so powerful. A few months after her first power outburst she discovered she was adopted and even later her dead sister revealed to her that she was the crown princess of Sparx.

"That's all great, Stell…a" I force myself to add that last letter, it seems as if I just naturally gave her a nick name. "But I want to know more about _her_."

"She was great. Amazing. Fantastic. A wonderful friend. Stubborn, tough-minded as you only see in movies. And brave. She fought so many monsters and vanquished so much evil. She had already become a heroine when she was sixteen by beating those fashion victims, the witches of Cloudtower.

"_Did she honestly think a _prince_ would love her?" a brunette asks. Darcy._

"_I think she did." The one with the frizzy hair laughs with a fake pout. Stormy._

"_Enough." Cold, stern voice. "I will handle her." _

_Icy._

"The Trix." I whisper, sending a chill through my body.

"Yeah…" Stella nods slowly. "How did you…"

"I've read about them." I respond curtly. "What was her power? Hobbies? Dark secrets?" I joke. At least, I hope so.

"She had these gloomy mood. Once it got so bad she fled from Alfea. She returned to her parents, but off course I dragged her back to school." She smiles sadly.

"Why did she really flee?" I ask softly.

"Do you know she was in the drama club? She called herself an amateur." She's avoiding the subject, I'm well aware of it, but I couldn't bear to pose the same question again. "She was awesome, she did some tv-acting, you know. But she could've done anything, except for dancing. She was hilariously bad at that. And shopping!" she throws her head back ecstatically. "She always needed my help, begged for my company." I smile at her.

"Maybe she just liked hanging out with you. I think she just wanted you to be there."

"Yeah…" her smile fades into a pondering wrinkle.

"And eum… God I'm afraid to ask 'cause Sky never talks straight about this, or he clams up completely. How about her disappearance?" I inquire cautiously. The question makes her huff indignantly. She averts her look. When she glances back up, I see anger flashing in her eyes.

"I never believed she just disappeared. Sky puts it that way. She had done it before, you know, the time she anxiously ran away from Alfea, it was because of a fight with him. He had lied to her. Well, Brandon had lied to me too, so we could've wallowed together."

"What happened?" I ask interestedly.

"Sky and Brandon had switched identities, to protect Sky off course. She found out at this big social event, it was a really big drama there, she ruined the open day of Redfountain."

"Oh." I merely say, not really knowing why this was _so_ bad. I mean, it was totally unacceptable, but not really a reason to leave everyone behind.

"Plus, she discovered he had a fiancée!"

"NO!" I exclaim horrified.

"_As you know, my son is engaged to princess Diaspro."_

"_Was." I correct her through clenched teeth, unable to suppress my jealousy._

"_My son is engaged to princess Diaspro," she continued imperturbable, "He is destined for that noble woman."_

"_I'm sorry, but you mean you destined him for that insufferable creature."_

"_If you had pursued the acquaintance with her –as I recommended- , you would have acknowledged her many outstanding qualities."_

"Diaspro." I mumble with insuppressible hatred.

"You read about her too?" the princess asks skeptically. "It was a set-up you know, but that didn't really make any difference. He loved Bloom like hell, but he was betrothed to that jewelry monster. That damned mother of his is still a bitch." She pauses, observing my reaction in order to discover if she should go on, and luckily she does."That's why I never believed Sky didn't have anything to do with it. They were an extremely passionate couple, when they quarreled everyone at Alfea was looking for cover. And Bloom always won, you know, like you scored off Sky a few minutes ago. Anyhow, I think… they had a fight. He must have hurt her, there's no other way." she shakes her head decisively.

"She would never leave you without saying goodbye?"

"Exactly. Sky keeps playing the victim. He says she told him she didn't love him anymore. That's crap. She would've never hurt him. That's what brings me to option 2: If (and that is a very unlikely hypothesis, don't get me wrong) she said that, someone must have forced her." I stare at her in awe, trying to understand what she just said.

"Someone blackmailed her so she would deny her love?!"

Jeez, you gotta love those royals.

**A/N: sorry late late! I'll try to update another chapter today! But please review : (**

**xD!!**


	10. Kissing The Right Guy

_She was blackmailed?_

Chapter x: Kissing the right guy?

Stella doesn't react to that question anymore, she looks as if she has given up hope a long time ago.

"I did not give up." She suddenly flares up vehemently. I gaze at her, shocked. Her eyes soften immediately and she whispers "I just… wanted to move on. She'll turn up. She has to." She looks to the ground, too emotional to proceed. "Anyway…" she puts on an astounding smile again. "in the meanwhile, I have my hands full with you. Wanna find out if you're my long-lost bff? Come with me next weekend, we're going on a group date!" she makes it sound like a cheery add for Poptarts.

"Can I bring someone?" Her eyelids flutter twice, almost unnoticeable. She's surprised. She lets out an agreeable tingling chuckle as she hears my unexpected request.

"Off course, but…who?"

"Never mind." I suddenly realize it would be a really bad idea.

"That… is a very wise decision. But seriously, who would you bring?

"I met someone at the Gala last week. Perhaps you know him, the count of Wehrinde?"

"Alistair de Bourgh" she nods."Oho I know perfectly who you mean." She nods again, almost disparagingly.

"Lady Clarissa introduced us and… I felt as if I really knew him. I think I was his girlfriend." Stella's eyes are bulging out right now.

"Relax, Stell, or you eyeballs will fall out of their sockets."

"Whoa! Slow down! What? How?"

" I have these images of the past that keep coming, when they're triggered. You could call them flashbacks. Anyhow, when he touched me, I remembered something about him."

"He touched you? In a 'hi-I'm-Alistair-nice-to-meet-you-way? or was it more like 'hey, you're hot, I want sex?"

"He did not want sex."

_She looks at me gravely as if she's a about to divulge why men roams the earth._

"_Bloom, all men want sex. Even that cute little toothpaste-add of yours."_

"Scarlett." She pronounces the name slowly.

"All men want sex." I smile happily. Suddenly she leaps to her feet, throwing her magnificent shiny hair back and winks.

"I suppose I won't tell Sky about this." She glances at the ceiling. "He'd be devastated."

"I'm not going to pretend to be her in order to placate the prince." She's already one foot out of the door.

"Right." The blonde smiles patronizingly, as if she's aware of something and I'm not. "Saturday. We'll send a servant to knock on your room."

I smile weakly, immediately yanked out of the dream and realizing I'm still merely a servant, too. I decide to take a walk and shut the door behind me with a sigh.

* * *

As I enter the piece, I sense something is different right away. Indeed, when I glance at my bed, I notice a package, which I open slowly. It contains a brand new cell phone and a note, signed by 'my boyfriend'.

Hu.

Sky? My stomach flips. Stop flipping! I'm not a dolphin.

RIIIIIING!

Jesus Christ, that thing nearly gave me a heart attack. I think I just jumped in the air. I pick up and say abruptly into the receiver: "Scarlett speaking."

"Hi hon, how do you like my gift?" No.

"I like it very much Alistair, thank you. why?" I ask curtly.

"Wanna meet?" I don't know.

"Sure." I lie. "When?"

"Open your door." I jerk it open, expecting to see him there like in one of those cheesy chick flicks. I turn around, closing the door and I bump into something.

"Alistair!" I exclaim, taken aback. Or some_one_. "How did you…? Never mind." He smiles naughtily.

"So…" His eyes meet mine, but then they glide to a lower area, around my blouse.

"Alistair!" I cry out again, laughing at his silliness. Yeah, they do want sex, Stell.

"What?" he inquires ingenuously. "I'm just glad to see my girlfriend again." He gives me a quick, chaste peck on the lips to prove his good intentions and walks over to the bed. "Shouldn't we…" he stretches out on the red silk sheets "Celebrate?" So far with the gentleman-act.

"No!" I smile, plopping down next to him. "We should talk."

"But talking is boring." He pouts and starts peppering kisses on my neck.

_God that feels good._

I grin, gently pushing him of.

"Alistair, behave." I admonish in a fake severe tone."

"_Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, I could wait."_

"_Baby, if I didn't know any better I'd think you're afraid."_

"_Hell I am." He shouts and starts tickling me._

"Oooh." He smirks innocently. "But I'm behaving extremely well, you know." He whispers, pushing me down softly.

_He slowly reaches op to my head again, leaving a trail of kisses behind him. I shove him off and jump on top of him, surprising him. He arches an eyebrow not-understanding._

"_You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you?" I ask innocently, making him gasp as my lithe fingers find their way to his boxers._

"You see?" he says, in between covering my collarbones with kisses. "I am very nice." My arms snake around his neck, tugging at his collar as I let him crawl on top of me eagerly. His hand caresses my cheek, but quickly moves away to discover new territories. He unbuttons my blouse (like a pro, I have to admit) and unclasps my bra after I pulled his shirt off.

"You see?" he asks again, speaking with a lower voice as he starts palming my breasts wildly.

"_And what are you up too?" I ask suspiciously as he slides down with his hands. He start rubbing circles between my thighs, making me whimper. I'm not sure what he does next but…_

"_Holy mother of God!" I cry out aroused._

"Oh yes… very nice."

_I let my eyelids flutter in excitement and when he flops down next to me again I ask, stunned._

"_Where the hell did you learn that, Sky?"_

My eyes flash open.

Sky.

**A/N: someone's being a naughty girl. Oh! Did she just dream about having sex with Sky? Or did she really have sex with him? I know a way to find out!**

**Angelgrl31392: **is it any good, what I've come up with in the last chapters? Or is it getting absurd. Sorry for the delay, but hey, you get TWO brand new chapters (for the price of 1!)

**Winxprincess: **what's creaming soda? Why don't I know that? I suppose it must be very good if you can get high on it. Where do I buy it? :D Two chapters! Yay (but late I know-- me very sorry)

**Winxrocks4me: **interesting profile. .. how exactly is it possible that you're not sure of your name?

**Destanation's d e s t i n y: **okay! Sorry, but I just found out. Your feet ached? What'd you do? Walk a marathon? Went rock-climbing? Another flashback in this chapter and in the previous one: VERY nice flashbacks, even if I say it myself ( I need some self-assurance, as you might have noticed) You must lead an extremely interesting life, being confused all the time. Quirky. x3


	11. Chapter 11 corrected version

**A/N Sorry guys, I just corrected this chapter because there were some (not sooo much) mistakes that were very annoying. I apologize, but you should understand I'm really busy (school and stuff. This is my senior year, so it's kinda imporant), but I didn't want to let you down, I wanted to give you another chapter. So I gave you a sucky chapter. By the by, about the flashbacks: if you don't understand: ASK me. (but ask me something specific) I want to thank you already for your reviews!! Me happy :) Next chappie this weekend or next week. xD**

Chapter xi: Meet the friends (Pt ii)

_I let my eyelids flutter in excitement and when he flops down next to me again I ask, stunned._

"_Where the hell did you learn that, Sky?"_

_Yeah,… Sky?_

_Sky?_

_SKY?_

* * *

I'm about to meet Stella's other friends since it's the day of the group date. It's slowly dawning upon me that these people –who are now strangely enough unknown to me- could have been my friends. And that is a rather bizarre feeling.

I hope I can (re) collect some memories. To be honest, that's the only reason why I agreed to go on a trip with people I have never –ever!- met. I mean, depending on the number of Sky's friends, I suppose I must recognize one person.

Sky…

You want to know what the hell that was during my make-out session with Alistair?

Well, I'd like to be informed to, so beep me if you catch anything.

There they are. Eleven backs turned towards me -3 known- leaning casually on the balustrade and quipping lightly.

I cough and stare at familiar faces.

* * *

"_You're going to the summer house" Flora asked, composed. She tucked a strand of lost light chestnut hair behind her ear, causing her bracelets and earrings to tingle melodiously. _

"_Yeah… So?" I ask suspiciously._

"_Oh nothing." She shrugged fake casually. "It's just that practically every crown prince of Eraklyon proposes there." My mouth fell open. A bee could've flown in, but I just sat there, in awe._

"_Flora!" I then shrieked and hit her with a pillow._

"_Hey, is there a pillow-fight going on here?" the door swung open and revealed Layla, with 6 cushions stuffed in her arms._

"_And we're not invited?" Musa exclaimed, tripping over one of the pillows Layla just dropped on the floor._

"_I have got to admit Musa," Tecna said with her usual serious expression."You're a natural."_

"_Hey!!" Musa cried out indignantly. She snatched a pillow, ready to attack._

"_Chill Musa, not everyone can acknowledge your… talent." Stell snickered._

"_Okay, that does it!" Musa screamed and lunged the cushion at the blonde._

"_Ouch! You just broke my nail!" _

"_If you're not careful, you'll break something else!" Layla squealed. Stella screeched as she took the beating of the perfectly aimed pillow._

"_Why am I always the victim?" she pouted. "Is it because I'm pretty?"_

_Five cushion-loaded hands were raised._

"_STELLA!"_

* * *

"So…hello." I look at their dumbfounded appearances. A girl with long dark blue pigtails comes forward firstly.

"I'm Scarlett Rose. A… friend of Sky." She puts out her hand.

"Musa. You're supposed to know that." She turns to the group. "She's way too polite." Next, a black girl approaches me and shakes my hand firmly.

"She's not the same." She comments. Who's next? Ah.

"I'm Tecna. Nice to meet you." she says stiffly. Is that a tear glistening in her eye? She pulls a mini computer out of her pocket and glares at the screen incredulously.

"She doesn't have magic." She steps away from me and walks into the embrace of a nerdy looking boy. Tom? Kenny? Timmy?

I close my eyes. I can feel her.

"There's one left." I speak more harsh than intended. She leaves the save company of her friends. Her hair is radiant as ever and her almond-shaped eyes sparkle serenely. She walks slowly and unsteadily. She does not offer a hand, but immediately places it on my heart. Her tanned eyelids cover her green orbs.

"She's not weak." She utters. "She's just…" she hesitates and bends forward, whispering in my ear "Broken." She twirls around and finishes her sentence otherwise to the group. "Hurt."

* * *

"_You hurt me! God, you have no idea!"_

"_Bloom, I couldn't foresee this. This wasn't supposed to happen."_

"_Oh, I wasn't supposed to find out?"_

"_We were already engaged before I met you, Bloom." I stared at him, unbelievingly._

"_How COULD you?!"_

"_I swear Bloom, this…"_

"_What? Is not what it seems? You mean, you're not betrothed to her? You're not going to dump me because you have to marry her? You did not fool me?"_

"_I…"_

"_You what?" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "You what?" I repeated, softer._

"_I'm sorry." He offered lamely._

"_No." I shook my head. "I am sorry." I felt I was about to crack, my eyes were starting to get moist._

"_Congratulations." I managed to speak out and I finally turned my back at him._

_Forever._

_That's how it was supposed to be._

* * *

I can feel her anger and her pain as if I _am_ her. I turn around, whilst flipping my hair back and face prince Sky. In all his royal glory. He smiles at me.

"You." I spit. "Son of a bitch."

**A/N: Okay, Scarlette misplaced the flashback, but can you blame her? He hurt her. She's pissed. She's not sure if it's really her, if she's really Bloom, but that won't take long. **

**R&R : D**

**Xoxo**

**PS: I hate the new lay-out of FF, it took me half an hour to find out where the stats are. If you'll excuse me, now I have to find out how to upload a document. Excitement!**

**Winxprincess: **oooh it sounds as if there's a lot of sugar in creaming soda. That kinda explains why you're high. You're just high on sugar. But I'm pretty sure it is not sold in our supermarket.

Hm yeah sorry about the Scarlett-Alistair part, but it had a purpose, you know! I mean, she had visions about Sky while she was kissing Alistair. I'm sure she finds that worth investigating.

**Story-Goddess: **thanx thanx :)

**Firebloom101: **I'm still working on it, as you see ;) Thanx for the review!! I always like new reviewers. Happy me :D xD

**Destination's d e s t i n y: **you have strange ways to express yourself, you know that? Radioactive reactions, huh? Everything alright? : D You call Stella an airhead? She could be right, you know..

**Angelgrl31392: **oh I knew what it meant : ) My Spanish isn't really fabulous, but _that_ I did understand : ) It's nice to hear. And it doesn't really matter in which language : ) Know any other languages? Like um Latvian? Could be ; ) Bye!! xD


	12. Going Under

Chapter xii: Going under 

Without moving an inch, he inquires, composed:

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, you dirty bastard." I decide that maybe it's not a good time to treat him with contempt in front of his friends. I do have tact.

"Scarlett." Ugh, his begging voice.

"Go rot in hell." I snarl. "You'll like it there." I don't want him to ruin my few days off, so I try to ask lightly

"Where are we going?"

"Um…" Musa hesitates. "Sure you don't wanna…?"

"I'll be fine as soon as you tell me where we're going."

"We're going to the summer house of Sky's parents!" Stella squeals.

Jezus Christ. My eyes dart over to Flora. Uh oh.

"It's awesome there! I mean, we've only been there once, but it's fantastic! I mean, you can do adventurous hikes and tons of water sports!" Layla chimes in enthusiastically (and way too pepped up).

"Oh dear heavens, I'm glad there is an internet connection." Tecna retorts dryly, rolling her eyes.

* * *

"Finally! I was starting to think we got lost Shnoockums! (**A/N: does anyone know the right way to write this? Is it even a word?)**" Stella purrs into Brandon's face. He takes her in his arms and whispers affectionately

"Then I would save you, darling." Soon they are involved a gross, 'romantic' kiss. Musa walks past me with her rucksack.

"Aren't they… lovely?" she sighs fake blissfully, as Stella would do. I look around to see if there's something I recognize. "Where is the house?" I ask myself out loud, making Riven chuckle arrogantly.

"What? Is it so small that I'll have to look for it?"

"Nope." He motions to the east where suddenly there's a gorgeous almost cute palace in beige sandstone and majestic green shutters, partly covering glistening windows.

"It's hidden." Helia clarifies. "It's a safety measure against unwelcome visitors. Royals don't like…"

".. to be disturbed."I complete successfully.

"Indeed." He smiles surprised and then knowingly.

"It's actually an ingenious system. The architectural structure of…"

"Dude." Nabu interrupts Timmy. "Seriously, don't bother her." Timmy looks defeated. "I would like to hear it though." He smiles at the nerdy boy. I mouth a 'thank you' at him. He winks and frowns as Timmy starts his explanation.

"Already hitting on my boyfriend." I hear a rogue voice behind me. "Just like the old times."

I raise an eyebrow at her.

"I believe… it was the other way around." She's testing me. I'm no idiot, I've seen her look at Sky. Lost. Her face darkens.

"But hey. That was then." I pick up my trolley. "This is now."

"Oh jeez. Let me do that!" she bursts out, pointing at my tiny but rather heavy piece of luggage. She gazes intently at the suitcase and murmurs a few words.

"Hey! It's gone!" I start looking about frantically. "Where did it go?"

"Relax, I sent them to the manor."

"Thanks." I smile at her as she leaves and my thoughts drift off again. I take in every element of the landscape; the sloping hills topped up with silver birches, the water of the river that seems to strive for the same blue as the sky.

"I don't recognize anything." I confess to her. I look into her narrowed green eyes. "I wish I would."

"You should." She concurs. "Otherwise you're not who I think you are. And that would be a shame."

* * *

After a heavenly meal, we decide to make a romantic night boat trip. I'm not really enjoying this because I have spent most of the time avoiding Sky, who doesn't stop looking for me. As for the romantic part… in contrary to the five other girls here, my partner isn't present. I don't miss Alistair though, I feel perfectly satisfied and content. One thing is missing.

"Scarlett." Ugh. The begging voice. I was not missing that. I twirl around and start walking to the front deck.

"Does it look like I want to talk?" I ask, but he chases after me. "I'm still walking away."

"Don't be ridiculous, you're on a boat, you can't walk away from me." He stops me and corners me.

"You have to talk to me." He breathes heavily, excited. I shake my head decisively. "What's this all about?"

"Don't know what you're talking about." I huff, annoyed.

"Damned Scarlett!" he flares up, irate. "How do I…? What should I do?" Apparently everyone aboard heard this. We have ten people watching us. Ten is a crowd.

"What I want is… you leaving me alone." I jump on a box dangerously close to the rail. "Who says I can't walk away from you?" he looks terrified at the site of me balancing near the edge.

"Okay you were right, but please come down."

"No."

"Bloom, don't be irrational." He covers those deceitful lips. "I mean: Scarlett." I lift one foot.

"Scarlett!" he admonishes horrified. Leap. "NO!" I hear him scream as I fall. As soon as I'm emerged completely in the water that's cooled off because of the night, I feel a warm, agreeable feeling washing over me.

"Blooooom… Bloooom." I spin around, only to see a golden cloud of powder floating around me in the water.

"I'm Scarlett." I reply, astonished that I can talk here.

"You are Bloom, queen of Sparx." The voice is starting to sound irritated

"No, no, I'm Scarlett, servant in the palace of Eraklyon."

"Hon, I'm a 500-year-old spirit in a lake, I'm pretty sure I know who you are." Oh, from irritated to piqued.

"Okay, okay. Why so tense?"

"Some young man wants to penetrate my environment. He's a real pain in the ass you know."

"For a 500-year-old-spirit in a lake, you're pretty clueless. That pain in the ass is the crown prince of Erakylon."

"Oh that explains a lot, those crown princes of Eraklyon, always annoying brats. And mamma's boys. Don't bother remembering anything here. Your flashbacks cannot occur here." The voice pauses. "He certainly is a stubborn one. What the hell is he doing?"

"He's searching for me." I only answer.

"Ha!"she blurts out triumphantly. "And you still claim to be _Scarlett_?"

"What do you have to say to me?"

"You have to look for help in the palace! There is help very close, female help. Help of wise old women."

"Lady C? Why?"

"Your secret lies in the name." She ignores my question, confusing me with another riddle.

"Which name?"

"You secret lies in the name of your residence."

"But …" Damned I'm losing my breath. When I open my mouth, water flows in. I'm being jostled up again.

"Damned!" I curse as I surface, earning ten dumbfounded looks.

"Scarlett!" A lifebuoy is thrown towards me, immediately followed by the question: "Where is Sky?"

"How should I know? He's on the boat!" I yell.

"No he's not." Brandon shouts back, pulling at the rope of the water ring around my waist.

"Then… Did that bonehead jump after me?" I ask breathlessly, back on deck. I don't wait for answer because I spotted Sky.

"There he is!" I shriek. "Go get him you idiots, I'm already numb with cold!"

As they hoist Sky aboard, I notice his pale skin tone. His lips are blue, his eyes are closed.

Oh God.

I killed him.

**A/N: Oops. Cliffhanger. What will she do now? Oh the guilt! Anyhow, I hope I didn't make too much mistakes this time, but again I wanted to give you chapter. And it's pretty good I think! Next one is awesome I swear to God, and finally some ScarlettxSky! **

**R&R**

**Love,**

**MOI xoxo**

**Winxprincess**: oh but sugar is goood : ) But our chocolate is better indeed :D I'm eating chocolate right now, it helps me write (oh and I'm addicted to it so. ;)) Don't worry about Alistair, he's just an obstacle ;) She'll find a way to get rid of him : )

Thanxoxo

**Angelgrl31392: **which flashback? The last one? Well yeah, that will be revealed in chapter 13 (I need some suspense here! : )) xD

**Starfire1994: **I'm thinking… you approved : ) It was a nice line to end with : ) xD

**Firebloom101: **Hey no problem about your story! It's nice, and you read and review my stories, so why would I help you? : ) This is a fast update : )

**Destination's d e s t i n y**

**Running angel: **hey I already discovered the basics : ) I already forgot how to find reader traffic and stats though. Is it just me? I mean it has changed a lot! I suppose you're happy as long as I update ;) x


	13. Confessions of a GrownUp

_Oh God._

_I killed him._

Chapter xiii: Confessions of a grown-up

"Oh my God." Stella screeches. Well, that helps.

"What do we do?" I ask and suddenly all eyes are fixed on me. I start giving him heart massage, if only to escape their burning looks.

"Well…" Musa commences reluctantly. "Usually Bloom heals him."

"Excuse me?" I question unbelievingly, still pressing rhythmically on his chest. Come on, Sky.

"Yeah, um… her magi…"

"No, no." I interrupt Tecna's probably very interesting explanation. "Usually? This has happened before?"

"Sky always claimed he would give his life for Bloom; so he did it… a couple of times." Brandon looks as his feet while saying this. I laugh a little too hard, because then I notice their grave expressions.

"You're serious! Well, I can't… You said it yourself I don't have m…"

"_Don't do it."_

"_But this is Sky we're talking about."_

"_Don't even try. It's not worth it."_

"We'll do it the old-fashioned way. Guys, take him inside and fetch blankets. Stell, try to warm him up. Tecna, do a body scan to see if he doesn't suffer internal damage. Who can drive this thing?" Layla raises her hand promptly. "Turn around, back to the Manor. Flora, can you like advance our return with the help of mother nature?"

"I'll try sweetie," She nods surprisingly firm.

"Musa, you can fly very well; fly back to the manor and get help. Tell them their crown prince is in danger." She nods and when fully transformed she's already out of sight.

"Come on, Sky." I plead. I cover his lips with mine and start breathing into his mouth, while looking at his chest. Please rise. Please.

"Ugh ugh.."

"Oh oh!" I squeal. "He's hawking up." The guys brows go up, but hey!

"You guys are as relieved as me because of that rattle!" I react indignantly.

"Scarlett." Oh, weak voice. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." I try to hush him.

"No, no…I…"

"Sssh" I whisper and push him down softly. "Can I get you anything? Water?"

"Oh, I've had plenty of that." He smiles feebly and starts coughing. I turn to Tecna.

"Is he okay? No more water in his lungs?" I ask worriedly because he hasn't coughed up water yet.

"Everything is in excellent condition. He's still slightly cool, but he has warmed up quickly thanks t your alert reaction." She smiles at me approvingly and reassuringly.

"Oh yeah, this is actually your fault." Sky raises his voice a bit.

"I just saved your life you ungrateful royal piece of shit." I exclaim. God, how does he make me so touchy?

"Now, that's not a nice thing to say." He shoots me a queasy smile, making me laugh. "You took advantage of me."

"Ooohkay." Stella interjects as I want to protest. "You can continue this discussion later, but help has arrived. Your servants will take you to your bedroom." She finishes softly.

"Hey." He looks at me and winks. "Wanna come with me?"

"Sky!" Stella and I yell simultaneously.

"God you drank too much water." I cry out, rolling my eyes at his silly behavior. And yes it is silly, because otherwise… why would he be flirting with me?

* * *

"You know…" Stella joins me in the patio. I have been standing here for a while. Thinking about what that ghost said. I don't have magic, so why…? I sigh. "You could still be her."

"Oh yeah? How so?" I ask skeptically.

"Hon, where are you?" I chuckle lightly. "Brandon needs his hon."

"Because he jumped after you and you saved him. As usual." She replies and leaves. I look at the moon. It's probably midnight, I should turn in.

* * *

"Hey." I greet Sky surprised as I see him coming from the opposite direction when I reach my room.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just heading to my quarters." He shrugs.

"Where you… lurking?" he snickers.

"Lurking, Scarlett… silly girl."

"Don't play games with me, prince Sky." I say, changing my attitude.

"Chill, Scarlett. Don't be all paranoid."

"It's midnight, you're hanging about my bedroom, how exactly is that not suspicious?"

I narrow my eyes and state: "Your room is in the East wing. Planning on making a nocturnal walk?"

"Fine, I wanted to thank my savior." I glare back at him, unimpressed. "Now, can I come in?"

"You can thank me tomorrow?" I reply negatively.

"You know," he says as I unlock my door. "This is _my _house, so I can come in when I want you."

My eyes widen in shock.

"I mean." He stammers "When I want _to_." I would like to avoid that, so I leave the door open behind me.

"Every time you can't defend yourself, you have to appeal to the fact that you're royal."

"That's what I do." He retorts indifferently. "So… we should continue our conversation."

"What conversation?"

"Oooh! Now you're pretending you don't know what I'm talking about." I keep looking at him ignorantly.

"You took advantage of me." He reminds me.

"Oh that!" I look him in the eye. "No, I saved your royal ass."

"You saved my royal ass while taking advantage of me."

"I did not…" I want to object but he cuts me off

"I was dazed, cooled and looking hot. You took advantage of me."

"One, you weren't even unconscious for that long, two, you're not that hot." Though when I think again of how he was lying there, his soaking t-shirt stuck to his wet chest, showing off his muscled torso and pronounced abs…

"Jeez, Scarlett, you're making me blush with your sultry glances."He smirks cockily at me. "Wanna take advantage of me again?"

"You are shameless!" I exclaim and as I bend forward to slap him, he takes me in his arms and captures my lips with his. A tingling sensation washes over my entire body.

"Sky, you can't do this, it would lead to nothing, I mean…"

"Shhhh." He lays a finger on his lips before using them again.

"Seriously!" I continue, taking off his t-shirt. Just a second. I need to bask. He is so hot. Man, I could only wish he was my boyfriend once. He's perfect.

"Like what you see?" he asks with twinkling eyes. Except for that. He puts a finger under my chin, tilting my head up again. No, no, he's perfect.

"Um, Sky." I hesitate as he runs his hands up my thigh underneath my bath robe.

"Oh! I'm sorry." He quickly apologizes. "Too fast?"

"No, no." I sooth him. "Well actually, yes, but it's not what you think."

"So you do want to continue?" he asks hopefully.

"Yes! I mean, no I can't."

"But why not?" he asks, pecking me on the neck.

"Because… I'm still with someone else."

"What? How could you?"

"Well sorry if I didn't jump in your arms because you wanted me to be your long lost girlfriend."

"Okay, that seems fair." Aren't we reasonable today? Maybe he wants sex. "Who is it?" or not.

"Doesn't matter, it's so over!" I change my mind when I notice his look. "Alistair." I confess.

"What? As in 'of Wehrinde?'" I nod invisibly. "As in 'the actor'? I knew it!"

"Wait a minute… he was an actor?"

"You should know that, he's your boyfriend." He replies gruffly.

"Oh shut up, our whole relationship was based on boredom and one.." Oh my God. "Flashback." Bloom was an actress, he was an actor! "I didn't cheat on anyone! I was acting! I was reading from a script!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Doesn't matter, all that matters is that I could have never been his girlfriend."

"That must be a relief." Sky remarks dryly.

"It doesn't mean I'm Bloom, you know. There are other actresses who played with him." He makes an ugly face.

"Jeez, I don't wanna know that."

"On _stage_, you moron!" I shout, pushing him off his chair. "You have a dirty mind."

"You have no idea." He whispers huskily, undoing my blouse. "Maybe I could recognize you. Or certain parts of you." he starts kissing my naked stomach. "Hot as ever." He smiles, before pulling me into a passionate kiss.

"Hey, I have an idea." He quickly says and peeks under the wrap before I can help it. "Looks the same to me."

"Sky!" I slap his shoulder.

"Ouch!" he reacts. "That hurts. I have a solution for that." He places both of my hands around his neck and scoops me up, before gently dropping me on the bed.

"And what exactly are you up to, Prince Sky?" I ask teasingly.

"Nothing specific." He smiles, kissing me long on the lips. He lets his hand slide from just above my buttocks all the way up to my neck. His fingers bump along my spine, making me quiver.

"Your back.." he bends forward to verify. "is bare." He remarks a tad disappointed.

"Is that a problem?" I ask worriedly. He cocks an eyebrow at me. "Aren't I pretty anymore?" I query.

"Off course you are." He kisses my temple. "But I'm prettier."

"Oh you're right." I sigh deeply.

"But you…" he whispers seductively. "are beautiful." I feel my cheeks redden.

"Maybe we should get some sleep." I say, flushing.

"Yeah, maybe." He makes a move to stand up.

"You can stay here, you know." I offer. Hospitality rules!

"I know," he grins, "I'm just getting us an extra blanket.

"Okay." I merely reply.

"I could leave if you want me to." He suggests, landing on the bed again.

"No, you wouldn't!" I retaliate, snuggling close to him as he puts an arm around me.

"Goodnight." I whisper. He kisses me as a reply. "And Sky…"

"Yes Scarlett."

"Take your hands off my ass."

"But..."

"Now!"

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, but now you have an extra large chapter. I like it : )**

**I have exams, so a next update could be in three weeks**

**Sorry guys, but I have to study!**

**But I'll try, as always!**

**Bye!**

**xD**


	14. Serenity

Chapter xiv: Serenity

"Sky." I softly nudge the massive bulk of muscles that is almost taking every square inch of space here! Good thing I'm thin or we wouldn't fit in this bed. This is a queen size, so I suppose it's not meant for two people to lie in it, so I should kick him out. I give him a firm push, through which he rolls out of the bed and lands with a not so agreeable sounding thud.

"You alright?" I ask, giggling. No answer. Is it possible the fall did not wake him up? I glance over the edge of the bed cautiously, when suddenly two strong arms pull me off the bed and one second later, Sky is on top of me.

"You are trying to kill me!"

"I'm sorry, but otherwise I would've fallen out because you take so much space."

"Fine, next time, I'll sleep on the couch."

"Well that would be a very clever idea." He wants to object but then he notices how little textile is wrapped around my body since I took off my robe during the night. After that, he probably realizes he's pretty much naked, aside from his boxers. I can see the yearning in his eyes, but he merely pulls me up to his level and stands there sheepishly.

"Yeah, um maybe I should…" he gestures to the door.

"Or maybe not." I whisper and push him on the bed, landing on top of him. "You know," I say softly, in between kisses, "you should start thinking a little less of yourself."

"Excuse me?" he asks offended and flips me over.

"And yet, you always want to be…" I tilt my head towards his ear and almost kiss the words on his skin. "… on top." Taking advantage of his temporal astonishment, I roll myself back into my original position.

"Fine" he throws his hands on the sheets in defeat. "Why should I think less of myself?" he inquires curiously.

"Because," I say, trailing a finger over his chest slowly, "if I _were_ Bloom and you would have such a hot body, I should've remembered instantly. But apparently, you're not that big of a deal." I see he wants to protest so I quickly let my hand slip into his boxers, hushing him.

"Any complaints?"I ask with a mischievous smile as he wiggles underneath me. Only a moan escapes from his mouth.

He's fine.

* * *

"Just an .. um casual question." He's observing as I'm packing.

"Sure." The sound of his voice doesn't really sound 'casual', though. I hold a blouse up to verify it is dry.

"Are you a virgin?" The piece of cloth drops on the floor.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, I was just wondering.."

"You don't know?" I ask angrily.

"Off course I don't." he replies helplessly.

"Well I don't know either. If I could remember what my name is, if I could remember when it's my birthday, if I could remember who my boyfriend was, then I would know. But I don't remember anything so I cannot answer your question." I finish, exasperated. He jumps up from his chair and pulls me into a comforting hug, stroking my hair softly.

"I'm sorry." He mutters. This is not his problem. I shouldn't bother him with it.

"Just…" I turn my voice into ice. "Don't touch me." I whisper, reluctantly extracting myself from his loving embrace.

It's my problem.

"I'm sorry, but could you leave now? I have a lot of packing to do." That's a lie. "And I would like to be alone." Even bigger lie. Every freaking fiber of my body is screaming for his touch.

"Okay" he nods and puts a finger under my chin, tilting my head up. God, I love it when he does that. I avert my eyes, suddenly feeling strange and ashamed, and he kisses my temple tenderly.

"_God Bloom, you're such an idiot! I know he has done wrong, but it's not like he loves her or that he actually cheated on you!"_

"_He should've told me!"_

"_Oh yes, that would've been a great idea, considering your understanding now."_

"_You're prejudiced because he's your friend."_

"_Off course I am, because he's a really good guy!"_

"_Brandon, you don't understand, he hurt me! Off course I want him, but how long have I known him now? Half a year? And it that time, has he actually said he cared? No, he ran away from me when I _thought_ I was a _witch_ and now, as it turns out I _could_ be a _queen_, he shows up in all his glory, saving me from evil on Sparx. How can I _not_ find that disturbing?"_

"_It's not fair to reproach him that he helped you." _

"_Oh, so it was unlucky timing then" He doesn't have an answer to that. "I'm outta here." I turn around to leave but the sound of _his _voice freezes me._

"_Bloom! Wait!"_

I have to get out of here, this place is giving me a headache.

* * *

"Hey hon! How have you been?" Alistair greets me cheerily and gives me a playful peck on the nose.

"Alistair, we need to talk."I take the cell phone he gave to me out of my pocket and place it on the glass coffee table. "I want to break up." I blurt out. God I'm glad it's over.

"But… Why?"

"This doesn't work, Alistair, I pretended to know you and vice versa, but the truth is: I don't know you and I don't want to. At least not in an intimate way." Now that I've done some damage-control, I decide it's useless to keep loitering and get up.

"Okay." He reacts calmly, to my surprise. "I'm sorry." He offers.

"Don't be; it was my mistake too." I flash him a weak, but hopefully comforting smile. I open the door without hesitation and close it behind me, leaving Alistair and my former relationship with him behind me.

I lean against the white door for a while, not understanding why he wasn't angry or didn't do anything boisterous to 'keep' me. I can hear his voice. He's talking to someone, on the phone I suppose since I can't hear another person.

"Milady, phase 1 is completed." Short.

I knew something was wrong. That slick bastard. But who is his accomplice?

_Lady C. inquired after me and now she wants me to meet some nobles. The sixteen first ones are boring, the seventeenth one's a charm._

"_This is Scarlett Rose Sparx." Lady Clarissa introduces me. She stomps me, so I bow curtly. Why do I have the feeling I know this guy? I mean, nobleman._

"_Nice to meet you." I smile looking into the inscrutable grey eyes. "Sir."_

"_I am the count of Wehrinde, but you can call me Alistair." He sounds almost… humble towards me._

--

_Lady C shoves a note into my hands and commands me to deliver to the 'royal highness in the white suite in the men's room'._

_--_

"_I have a message from someone. For you." I say, handing him the note Lady C. gave me. As he looks up after reading his eyes shift from left to right, from Alistair to me, from me to Alistair._

_--_

"_Lady Clarissa gave it to me, but she didn't say who it was from. What does it say?" I ask, almost anxious by his sudden uncertain and shaky appearance. I walk over to him and unfold it again. Six words are written in macabre red capitals: 'KEEP HIM AWAY FROM HER.'_

Off course.

I rush back to the palace of Eraklyon, probably running over anyone that's in my way. I wonder if she's still here. I run down the corridor and jerk open the door of my destination without knocking. What I see next, is so stunning that the best reaction is:

"What the hell?"

**A/N: Cliffy!**

**xD**

**PS: 8 more exams people! Thanks for the support :)**

**Winxprincess: **Guylian is Belgian, Lindt is absolutely Swiss (that's an insult for our chocolate). Oh and I think Sky wants to believe Scarlett is Bloom, I don't think he's really sure (especially now with the 'bare back' thing in Ch13) That damned Creaming Soda! Well I'm going to have chocolate and marzip now : ) you underestimate the importance of chocolate :o :) Thanx anyway x33

**Simone Robinson: **It would become a rather lame story if Sky would've died, don't you think? xD

**Firebloom101: **something good _always_ comes up : ) Especially now. You will be surprised! xoxo

**Destination's D e s t i n y: **I like Venn diagrams :D and fine you're a genius! It will get a tad more complicated, so remain genius for a while, will ya? xD

**Starfire1994: **well she did save Sky, but not in a Bloom-way off course… thanx xD

**Winx club rules: **thank you! xoxo


	15. It Takes Three to be Lady C

Chapter xv: It takes three to be Lady C

"Who _are_ you people?" I ask incredulously. And the term 'people' definitely applies because there's more than one person in Clarissa's room. I scan the red painted chamber quickly. A woman with grey hair put up in a great high bun notices my looks.

"Lady Clarissa isn't here" I half-state, half-question.

"Yes she is." An old man with long silver hair and a stick finished adorned with a dragon's head eating some kind of purple ball, contradicts me.

"Well, I don't see her" I spit, starting to feel stupid here. "Where is she? In her cupboard?" The third and last person, a woman with too much purplish burgundy eye shadow cocks an eyebrow.

"No silly girl." Then, to the older woman "Are you sure it's her? She doesn't seem very… bright."

"Griffin!" the old one admonishes, not unkindly.

_The orb in my hands is darkening, but I'm still feeling in control. The purple glow it spreads is hypnotizing. This was just what I needed._

"_Bloom? Are you alright?" Concern. From _her_ very voice. She's just envious of my power._

"_Yes, miss Griffin, I'm feeling quite well." I flash her a mischievous smile, making her raise an eyebrow. Her trademark. _

_Dirty…_

"… Witch!" Dirty witch. Her eyes blink too fast. The man nods slowly.

"Do you know who I am, child?" The grey man approaches me and lays his free hand on my shoulder.

"_He looks like an ordinary grumpy old man to me." Stella shouts disapprovingly, a little too loud." The principal of Red Fountain joins his students and their respective girlfriends (meaning: US!) and suddenly he bursts out laughing with no reason._

"_Yes my dear, I am an old man. However, my ears function amazingly well." He turns away from an astounded Stella and puts out his hand._

"_You must be Bloom. The heiress. I am…"_

I shake my head.

"I am sorry, I don't… Red Fountain?" I guess.

"That's not my name." I sigh deeply. Guessed wrong. "But I used to work there."

"I should know who you are." I motion at the grey-haired woman.

"I am the former principal of Alfea, school of fairies."

"School for fairies," I look at the woman I _should_ know. "School for Specialists." I nod at the Red Fountain man. "And School for witches." I conclude with a glance at Griffin.

"You were all so grand. Why are you here, serving the queen of Eraklyon? As Lady C." I suddenly realize. "Do you three form Lady C? Or do you simply switch roles?" I ask curiously.

"We 'switch', as you put it so nicely." Griffin huffs.

"As to reply to your other question," Saladin –that's his name!- begins, "it has a very simple answer you know."

"Just tell me, why are three powerful magicians like you here?"

"Because someone was more powerful." The unknown lady walks up to me, talking to the others now. "We must send her back."

"Indeed." Saladin nods in agreement.

"To Alfea." She whispers. Saladin and Griffin turn to her with gloomy faces.

"No."Griffin objects.

"She wouldn't live to go back to that other place. She died there!"

"That does it!" Griffin shouts, waving her arm, creating a green tube. "Step in." She commands me.

"No!" the old one screams again as Saladin pushes her against the wall with his scepter, disabling her to intervene.

"Bloom!" She yells with a desperate look in her soft blue eyes. I want to come to her, but the green thing is sucking me in.

"It is time to stop denying your identity!" Griffin speaks sternly.

"Accept your destiny, my child!" Saladin shouts. I cast one last glance at the woman.

"Miss Faragonda!" I shriek, remembering who she was. She nods as an answer.

"_You are the heiress of the Dragon Flame, Bloom."_

"_Your parents died. They were killed by a wizard named Baltor, Bloom."_

"_You must be strong, Bloom."_

"_You must face her, Bloom."_

"Who is _her_?" I ask, afraid I will disappear any time in this portal. Faragonda averts her face.

"We cannot divulge this, though we are the Three."

"You shall return to your home."

"Bloom, you must gather your strength there. Battle is never absent."

"I… I don't understand!" I stammer confused. I feel so lost. "Where?" I already know how, this green tornado thing keeps sucking at my feet, forcing me to enter.

"Sparx." Griffin says, through which Faragonda screams 'No!'.

"But… how do I return?" The Three remain silent until one of them speaks.

"You shall." Faragonda says softly.

**A/N: Okay, I know this is a lot of information to process for you guys, but let me summarize:**

**Lady C is actually three persons that you all know from the original winx series, namely Faragonda, Griffin and Saladin. The flashback about Griffin sorta happened in the series when Bloom was attending lessons at Cloudtower in season 1. The second flashback never happened in the show, but it could've occurred easily. The last flashback is actually a 'series' of flashbacks, that are playing very fast in Scarlett's head, and on purpose off course, they all have the name 'Bloom' in it, to finally make her realize who she is, duh! :D**

**Btw: Alistair is stupid.**

**Sorry that I waited sooooo freaking long to update but I just finished my exams and I've been going to soooo many places with my friend (being friendly and stuff), thanx for waiting and for all the reviews!**

**Next time: Scarlett on Sparx (that is going to be one hell of a chapter, I promise you !)**

**Love you guys!**

**Byeee!**

**xD**

**Ameliato2004: **Love the suspense hu? : ) Thanx xD

**Winxprincess: **Viva Guylian! Alistair is not the smartest person, but you gotta understand, the boy wants to destroy her, or help someone else to destroy here  that's an evil plan! Thanx for the reviiiiew :D x

**Booklover4177: **thank you soo much for commenting on my writing 'skills'! : D x3

**Destination's d e s t i n y: **you despise my story? Besides, the story you just described, that's called: 'creating suspense'. I should consider reading 'Twilight', if I wasn't too busy writing stories for you :p :D Bye! x

**Starfire1994: **you already knew Alistair was a count, right? Scarlett is her real name. for the moment at least..

**Beyondbookworm: **you have read the previous chapter? Then you must know who Alistair is. Well, no one knows exactly who he is, except me off course ; )! There's not any kind of M-rated stuff coming soon. I'll give you a heads up when it's about to start. Can I do romance, though? Thanx for your interesting review! x3

**Simone Robinson: **Sorry for the late update, things have been kinda crazy. Anyhow, thank you so much for your review! Bye bye! x


	16. Sparx

Chapter xvi: Sparx

Where the hell am I? Oh right, Sparx. I notice it is not as icy as I thought it would be here. After all, Sparx still is a dead planet. There is no snow, but I'm still glad I'm wearing a jacket and a dark jeans. I perceive a large, rather frivolous building with lots of fancy towers, and painted in a (now flaked off) soft purple. Before I decide to enter the palace, I see another construction that looks rather… new and modern. It looks as if it was built merely two years ago! I ignore the small shed and walk towards the impressive palace. How am I to get in? The biggest door, more a gate, is firmly locked. There must be another door, maybe for former servants. I start to encircle the palace until I find another entrance.

As I see another door and approach it, I'm starting to feel dizzy and unwell.

"_You must face her, Bloom."_

"_I know, but I …"_

"_What?" She asks with a furrowed brow._

"_I'm afraid of her, miss Faragonda."_

I touch the doorknob carefully and twist it.

"_Let me set this straight for you, princess Bloom." The emphasis on that particular word makes it sound almost vulgar. She glance at me disparagingly._

"_My son is in love with you." She admitted with great difficulty, as if she had just swallowed a very sour lemon. I smiled at her utterance beatifically. She crushed it with her next sentence. "Don't look so satisfied of yourself, girl, it is not enough."_

"_I'm sorry, you highness, but I do not understand your objections against my relationship with prince Sky. If my low birth once bothered you, that is no longer an issue. Is it?" I added questioningly, motioning at the walls of the palace._

"_As you know, my son is engaged to princess Diaspro."_

"_Was." I corrected her through clenched teeth, unable to suppress my jealousy._

"_My son is engaged to princess Diaspro," she continued imperturbable, "He is destined for that noble woman."_

"_I'm sorry, but you mean you destined him for that insufferable creature."_

"_If you had pursued the acquaintance with her –as I recommended- , you would have acknowledged her many outstanding qualities."_

"_And defects." I muttered. "I'm sorry you majesty, I'm just not in the mood for singing praises for Diaspro."_

"_Off course," she nodded disagreeably and continued her speech. "The conclusion is that you cannot possibly ever marry my son."_

"_I can and I will." I replied provocatively._

"_I had anticipated this kind of foolish and lumpish behavior."_

"_It is not, you highness, it is merely a sign of my love for your son."_

"_And you have loved him with great passion and kindness, for the time that was necessary. I am very sorry dear child, but he does not need you anymore." She spoke almost pitifully now._

"_Is that why he proposed to me yesterday? Because he does not want me anymore?"_

"_I do not claim that he doesn't care for you anymore, but you are no use to the kingdom, thus you cannot serve him."_

"_That is wonderful, your majesty, because I do not wish to serve him."_

"_I am glad you finally understand. You are a good girl."_

"_I want to love him, make love to him, be a wonderful wife for him as long as I live and beyond if that were possible." I talked hastily and passionately, but straight from the heart. It seemed as if the queen in front of me started boiling right here, and I couldn't help but notice the huge earrings that hung elegantly in her lobe. It consists of several scarlet rubies, framed by shiny silver, inlaid with rubies again. The grey glittering frame forms a check and I imagined the ornament must tear her ear apart. But I also assumed that the queen of Eraklyon is a woman who prefers beauty to comfort._

"_You imprudent clodhopper!" she exclaimed out of her depth. _

"_You know, that's so funny, Diaspro said exactly the same." I huffed, starting to feel comfortable in my defiant position._

"_You could never make him a proper wife, you…"_

"_I beg to differ, your majesty," I interrupted her loudly. "I think your son would be the judge of that, and by the by, he let me know he doesn't think it's the worst idea."_

"_You leave me no choice."_

"_And what are you going to do? Kill me?"_

"_I will destroy your kingdom and you personally if you dare to proceed this undesired association with my son, prince Sky."_

"_You wouldn't dare." I shook my head, offended. She approached me menacingly and grabbed my face._

"_Try me."_

"_But… you ruin my happiness! And his!"_

"_He will be happy because I will be happy. As for your happiness, there are a lot of eligible men, my dear and you could be a very favorable match for the greater part of them."_

"_They are not Sky." I felt tears gushing down already._

"_Off course I am not heartless, I give you one day to say goodbye to Sky. Return to this place at 2 am and we will settle the agreement." She smiled, terribly satisfied with herself._

"_How can you call yourself a human-being?" I asked not-understanding._

"_Being human is overrated. If you'll excuse me now, I have to leave you. You should better go to, sweetie, spend your last hours with your lover." She laughed almost devilish._

_That's where she left me broken._

I'm too terrified too actually enter the castle, since touching the knob of a miserable door gives me headaches and pain in my chest. I carefully step over the threshold, suddenly sensing something crawling over my back. I finger my back panicked, but I don't feel anything.

"_I should've known you were to weak."_

"_But… I have given him up. I love him!"_

"_No, _I_ love him, he is my son." A blow. I feel I am colliding with the hard shingle. The last thing I perceive are her eyes, that turned pitch-black, that disgrace the ever-glistening rubies decorating her ears. They're red._

_Scarlet._

"Aaaargh!" I scream loudly as I clearly feel something creeping under the skin of my back, creeping over my spine and tearing it up. I fall to the ground and start rolling over the marble floor to get rid of the thing in my body, whatever it is. I fight against the feeling to close my eyes and let go; I want to battle this. I arch my back in pain, yelping and sobbing in ache and hurt, both physically and mentally. What the hell happened here?

I try to get up and flee from the horrible, seemingly haunted palace, but something is pushing me back, preventing me from escaping. My head bumps the white tiles and I don't feel anything anymore.

This life is just a shell.

I am numb.

**A/N: Happy New Year everyone (and a late merry Christmas!)**

**Sparx is not a happy place, Bloom kinda .. died there.**

**What happens to Scarlett? I'm not going to tell you now off course!**

**R&R!**

**xD**

**IsisIsabella**

**Starfire1994: **_Your_ head hurts? MY head hurts, I have to make up all the crazy storylines ! ;) Thanx! :D

**Winxprincess: **I hope this was soon enough! It's a long chapter and a bit difficult, so enough I suppose : ) I'm sorry about the lack of BloomSky, but it's about time Scarlett discovers and mostly _accepts_ who she really is. And she has to do that without Sky. All by herself. Sad, actually.

You know Côte d'Or? That's another great chocolate brand! And Belgian off course! :D

**Bloomsparks: **thank you!! x3

**Ameliato2004:** what does your nickname refer to? (if I may be so curious)

**Winx club rules: **thanx a bunch :D xD

**Destination's d e s t I n y: **is it me or are your reviews getting even longer? : p Not that I mind, quite the contrary. How's your lack of literature? I haven't had a chance to read twilight, since everything of stephenie meyer is checked out in the library! So stupid!

I also cry at the end of movies. And during the movies a lot too :) I saw 'Australia' two days ago with my mother and I managed not to cry, though I think it was the whole set-up of the storyline to make the audience weep.

Who the hell is Kaname? You know what to say about love and hate. Well the resignation of the principals will be explained a whole lot better later on. Everything is about to be revealed. (but very slowly : )) I hope you genius-ness has something interesting to say about this chapter! Wasn't it also shocking? Was it any good? :D

I can wish you a happy 2009, right?

x33


	17. Erase and Rewind

Chapter xvii: Erase and rewind

_She would kill for him. Oh right, she already did that. Luckily I will not have to speak to her, I will not serve him. Unless I will be promoted. I will carefully avoid promotion. I will be industrious. And invisible. I am good at that, I've done it before the whole self-effacing-thing. I am tough, I can easily resist him. Until I see him. I will avoid him, it's not as if servants get to know the royal family. I hope so._

_Maybe I'll meet him once, I'll avoid looking him in the eye. The eyes. That's what did it. I will avoid looking in those beautiful, gorgeous, overwhelming impossibly blue eyes of him. Right, 'cause that sounds credible. Option 2: no avoiding, but I will never raise my look at him. Maybe no one will notice, maybe people will applaud my humbleness. Right, and I am the queen of Eraklyon._

I wake up with a start. I sit up, gasping for air. That one word, that cursed name is burnt on my tongue. I keep panting, panicked. Where am I? This is not Sparx. A closet. Nice curtains. I'm draped in eggshell-colored sheets, looking at flowing fabric. A canopy. Good heavens, I am back in the palace of Eraklyon. And I didn't even notice. How grand of myself. Well, the three oldies believed I would return.

Then what has changed now?

I get up slowly, still feeling a little dazed. I place myself in front of the mirror. That definitely is something new; I remember very clearly I was wearing clothes when I was transported to that dead planet. I hope nobody saw me, sleepwalking back or something like that. God, that would've been embarrassing. I contort my body in order to see my back. I gasp for breath. I twist back in the more comfortable position, hoping it's an illusion. I spin back with the same hope, but I avert my eyes in shock. This is not possible. I finger my spine, disgusted by myself.

"NO!' I let out a loud, superhuman scream. I can feel them, they are carved into my skin in raise. And I can see them.

Two entwined dragons, one brilliant scarlet and one glistening gold, adorn my back. On top of their heads rests a crown, beautifully decorated with vivid blue-green and the same gold and red. Their cleft slithering tongues reach up to my shoulders and the top of the crown comes up to a few inches beneath my hairline. Well I can't wear tops with thin straps anymore, nor halter tops. And my hair has to be much longer to cover that glistening crown. No bikinis either. Oh my. I'll have to become a nun.

No, no, maybe it will fade, I contemplate, pacing up and down the room nervously. Maybe I should start by putting on some clothes. I ponder in front of my closet, I have to pay attention to what I wear now. Nothing with very short sleeves and nothing white or transparent since those two beasts covering my back seem to sparkle like the sun. I hate them, even though I know they're not alive.

Oh. My. God. What if they are alive? I mean, I felt something crawling under my backbone , stinging and biting. They may be silent now, but they could be dangerous. I should get that tattoo removed. I doubt they can do this is in the mall of Eraklyon. I'll have to go to a place where magic is …

Magix!

I snatch a blue jeans and a really old ratty black t-shirt of a low shelf. I put on a red bra, a tank top underneath the ordinary t-shirt (you never know) and a coral-colored hipster and push my legs through the pants. I peek through my window and decide it's warm enough to go out without a jacket. I slip into a pair of cute green flats with a bow and grab my purse on the way out.

"Scarlett!" I hear a relieved voice cry out across the hallway. Shit. I was just about to pass the gates. I quickly make a move to twist my hair into a ponytail, but decide that wouldn't be a very good idea because he might catch a glance of the dragons. I hope the dull t-shirt will make me look uninteresting, because I cannot possibly talk to him that long. No time to waste.

"I'm so glad you're here! I was starting to get worried." He chuckles and pulls me into a hug. I don't respond to this spontaneous move and rest stiff in his arms.

"Where have you been?" he lets go of me, disappointed, but still happy to see me.

"Out." I reply shortly. He cocks an eyebrow.

"For two days?"I was gone for two days? Two days. Two dragons.

"I left to break up with Alistair." I say to wipe off the skeptical look on his face. Well, that worked.

"And you stayed over?" he asks quizzically.

"Wow, thanks for your trust." I retort sarcastically.

"You know that's not what I meant." He whispers and caresses my cheek. Don't do that!

"Stop making me melt, you idiot." I smile involuntarily.

"I can't help it." He speaks softly in my ear. "It's all because of you." he kisses my neck and looks into my eyes. I avert my look and clear my throat.

"It was so amazing!" he takes my hand in his. His azure eyes seem distant and dreamy for a while. Don't go back to the moment, Sky, it would be too painful.

"It sure was, but…" his cell phone interrupts me. He flips it open and rolls his eyes.

"Sorry." He shrugs remorsefully. I try one last time.

"Look, about what happened between us in…" I try to think of the name of the manor.

"I'm so sorry, but I have to go! We'll talk later, okay?"

"But.." I weakly protest.

"I'm sorry, but it's my mom." I don't react.

"My mom, the queen of Eraklyon!"

"_She's my mother, Bloom! She did everything for me! She… made me!"_

"_What the hell? She did not raise you, nor did she make you! You were raised by nannies and yourself, Sky, you are who you are thanks to… you!" I exclaim, exasperated._

"_She wouldn't ask you to do that!"_

"_She hates me!"_

"Scarlett? are you okay?" he asks concerned. I nervously touch my arm. A few inches above my elbow I feel some calloused skin. But I don't have callus…. Certainly not on my upper arm. I glance fearfully and curtly at the critical spot. It's sparkling. I have to leave.

"Scarlett?!" he pushes, shaking my shoulders. I free myself vehemently from his grasp, astonishing him.

"I'm fine." I finally reply. And run back to my bedroom.

"We'll talk later?!" he yells after me. I don't flinch, but keep running.

Back, I have to get back.

"_It was so amazing!" he takes my hand in his. His azure eyes seem distant and dreamy for a while._

Oh my God.

_His fingers bump along my spine, making me quiver._

"_Your back.." he bends forward to verify. "is bare." He remarks a tad disappointed._

I really am her.

**A/N: I know, you all think: finally! You already knew off course, but it's important that **_**she**_** knows.**

**Next chapter: more flashbacks. She will go back to Magix. And guess who she will run into?**

**Thank you so much for the last reviews! 7! 8 is an even more beautiful number : ) I'm so subtle, I know! But I'm just dying to know what you all think of my story, duh!**

**Since I was away a little too long, this is a long chapter. And an important one, some details in this chapter will be important for the following chapters, so read very concentrated ;)**

**xD**

**IsisIsabella**

**P.S. I was just wondering, should ****Diaspro**** make a blitz-appearance? Let me know!!!**

**Booklover4177: **Well, what possessed the queen? Her love for her son, I suppose. Love makes you do the wacky, you know. And she's alive, so Bloom will have more trouble with her. Thanx for the review x3

**Destination's d e s t i n y: **You totally got Sky's mother : ) with the 'sacrifice everything'- stuff. Oh Scarlett –or Bloom (I can finally call her that way, it was starting to get annoying)- will get a little less peace-loving when she realizes completely what that horrible woman did to her. You have to understand not everyone can write reviews as long as yours, since yours are um extraordinary long, but I like it, so continue. Anyhow, as a friendly writer to his faithful reviewer who writes long reviews… I shall obey (since I already had the idea myself ;))

xD

**starfire1994: **thank you! How's that headache? x3

**winxprincess: **Oh another nice long review that makes me twice as happy :D Who says they will end up together? Just kidding, I don't know yet. I have two very different endings, but it's not time yet to choose one. Maybe around chapter 20. When you ever come to Belgium –or Europe for that matter- you have to eat côte d'or, it's like… legendary chocolate! Oh cotton candy can make you high on sugar, I totally understand. We call it (but that's literally translated from dutch) 'sugarspider', but I know for a fact it's the same thing. I like the name 'fairy floss' a lot : ) Are you always high when you read my stories? 'cause I kinda like it xP :D

Bye and thanks !

xD

**BloomSparks: **thank you! go on with the whole hating sky's mom, you're gonna need it. X3

**Ameliato2004: **works out too, off :) x

**Winx club rules: **thank you! sorry for the delay, I'm working on it , though ;) xoxo

**Thanks again everyone, for your reviews!**


	18. Identity Crisis

Chapter XVIII: Identity Crisis

"Good _God_!" I shout frustrated. This cannot be true. I have fought it so badly. I didn't want someone else taped over me. I'm no one. I mean, I'm Bloom. I have a new identity now. I can't believe this. It's all I ever wanted, to be someone. And now I all I feel is emptiness, confusion and sadness. Why?

I feel like I'm making the same mistakes as I did before. Example one: Sky. Big example. I have to make sure that I behave like before. And he can never –ever!- see me naked, or half-naked again. Maybe a quarter?

Bloom is a princess. Wow, and now I am a princess, working in a palace as party planner. That sucks. I'm pretty sure that wasn't my plan.

_He can never know who I am. It would ruin my whole plan. The plan. My plan. I am not sure how to call it though. Anyhow, if he would knew, if he would only suspect the tiniest thing, it would tear me apart. I would at least be… distracted. I'd lose my objectivity. That wouldn't be very advantageous to my plan. The question remains: what will win? My love for him? Or my revenge towards her? _

Sky.

I shake my head, trying to banish him from my head. The fact that I am Bloom and that he was my boyfriend doesn't exactly stimulate the exile.

I still need to remove that tattoo: I can't imagine what good it could do. It's like a big flickering arrow above my head, indicating: 'long lost princess of Sparx'. And I can't bear that burden right now. So I still need to go to Magix. The thought to visit the Three first crosses my mind. Maybe they can help me.

I rush to Lady C's room and again without knocking, I burst in.

"I'm back!" I yell, entering.

"Hello princess." Griffin greets me

"Where is everyone?" I ask, not-understanding and disappointed.

"Saladin is meditating. In the closet. And Faragonda is off playing Lady Clarissa."

"Oh." I merely reply.

"Did you go back to Sparx?"

"Yes."

"And?" she urges me to go on.

"It was horrible. It hurt. And I got almost nothing." Except for a giant tattoo.

"You got the tiara, right?"

"No. Should I have?" I ask worriedly. It really was a useless visit to a dead planet.

"That would have been very helpful. Not even a book?" I shake my head. "Then what did you get?" It hits me. They never knew. The tattoo must have been something new and private, that she only showed to… Sky.

"Did the queen really try to kill Bloom?" The witch raises her look, surprised at the boldness of my question, but she replies nonetheless.

"Not only did she try. She succeeded."

"What?" I stare at her in awe.

"You were -medically speaking- dead for a few minutes. Miss Faragonda found you."

"She saved my life?"

"Yes. And no. You were barely alive when she discovered you, you had trouble breathing, but you were alive.. The fact that you had died was established later on, by a team of paramedics."

"Then who saved me?"

"We don't know. The queen?" she raises her eyebrow at her own words. "The only piece of information we have is that someone must have performed CPR on you before Miss Faragonda found you and after you drowned. That's a period of 15 minutes. At least."

"I drowned? I thought I fell to the floor and bumped my head."

"You did. You fought the queen in the palace, but in her rage, she dragged you out once you were defeated. After that she pushed you in a nearby river. Water was found in your lungs and a severe bruise on your waist, I think."

"She kicked me in. That bitch. I'm going to kill her."

"Actually it was very dumb of her to push you under because that's how you survived. If she had left you without giving you that last incensed kick, your head trauma would have killed you. By drowning, thus by having too much water in your lungs, it was possible to revive you."

"Now I would have to be grateful because of that last kick?"

"I wouldn't recommend that either. I know you hate her and we all understand. But Bloom." She puts a hand on my shoulder, very unlike her. "Don't do anything. Not here not now." She glares at me intently. "You'll get your revenge. Not now." She repeats.

I jump up agitatedly. I have to do something with all the information I have now. I have to continue my plan. To destroy her.

Then Sky intrudes my mind again… To me, this is just killing my murderer, to him… I'm killing his mother. As if she deserves such a name.

"I have to do some research." I merely announce to Griffin. She nods in understanding and gets up.

"If you want to talk or if you need help, we're always here. I suppose Saladin would even come out of the closet." She smiles knowingly. I flash her a curt smile and then rush to the gates again. When I reach the golden latticework, I curse inwardly. Damned, why is he still here?

"Hey!" I greet him lightly, trying to pretend nothing strange is going on. He turns around, a wide grin plastered over his face.

"I knew it!" he exclaims. I ignore his comment and decide to ask something.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure." He nods.

"It's kinda personal." I whisper.

"Oh okay." He whispers back. "We could always go to my room." He suggests, pulling me close to him. I place my hand on his chest and push him away firmly.

"Maybe if you answer my question. Did you have sex with Bloom?" I blurt out. Ripping of the band-aid. His eyes seem to roll out of his sockets, his brains don't seem active for a while.

"Why do you need to know that?" he asks suspiciously instead of responding.

"Just doing some… research." I whisper, drawing circles on his chest distractedly.

"Do you know something… about her?" he inquires nervously.

"As a matter of fact I do." He shifts uneasily. The next thing I say is completely unexplainable and impulsive. It doesn't make sense, but I feel this is the actual question I should pose him.

"If you loved her so much, why did you abandon her?"

**A/N: again, sorry it took me so long . I'm the worst person ever. Plus, fanfiction doesn't let me upload! Those bastards : )! I still hope you'll review, I'm nearing the 'dénouement'! **

**Thanx **

**II**

**Winxprincess: **I just kicked the habit, namely chewing gum, but I'm still into it. Guess rehab didn't go to well ;) Yeah she realized who she is, but is that necessarily a good thing? Maybe I'll put Diaspro in when Bloom goes to Magix (yay spontaneous inspiration by commenting on a review : )) I actually drew the dragons several times, to visualize them better. If you would care to take a look at them, PM me. Again, I don't mind the long review, it means there's a lot to say about the story, and that's good :)

Anyway, I have to go now, but thank you for another great review! xD

**Destination's d e s t I n y: **yeah sorry about the huh… if there's something you really don't get, just ask, 'kay? I just LOVE the tattoos : ) I mean, the whole concept (because I invented them myself duh just kidding) Anyhow, the tattoos will be important, including other elements that appear in this chapter. So I hope you read carefully. Who would not fall head over heels in love with him? (especially considering the fact they already HAD a relationship. Kind of a… weird one, but you'll find that out later). I'm working on the Diaspro-thing… x3

**Starfire1994: **I'm sorry it's getting kinda complicated, but I promise you will learn a lot in the next chapter, because then Bloom will actually go back to Alfea and the Lake. And who knows what happened there in her past…

Thanx for the review ! xoxo

**Booklover4177: **I'm sorry this isn't a very awesome chapter, it's mostly angst, and a lot of new revelations (seriously, probably more than you will notice that will be important) But hang on, because chapter 19 has to be fantastic ! xD

**Firebloom101: **thanks for the comment : ) I'll definitely introduce her in the story. Just have to think about a how. And when! X

**Winx club rules**: you're like the fourth asking Diaspro should make an appearance. She is so popular ;) Well, most people want to see her get beaten by Bloom ;D x3

**Simone Robinson: **yeah, I made Sky's mom 'hatable' (great, that's not even a word) anyways , thanx ;) And sorry for the late update. xD


	19. Dear me,

Chapter xix: Dear me,

"What are you talking about?" He replies.

"Don't 'what-are-you-talking-about-me'! You know what you did to her." I almost said 'me' instead of 'her'. I should be more careful. "She wasn't a virgin, was she? You must have been her first." I answer the question I posed him earlier. When I recollect the flashbacks, remember how everyone elaborated about their capricious yet passionate relationship, this _has_ to be my conclusion.

"She wanted to wait until…" he pauses and sighs tormented, as if he wants to convince me how I am vexing him, but I will not yield until I have heard the truth. I send him a piercing look to persuade him of my perseverance and gravity. "Until we were married."

"_Here is my ring for you." He pulls a glistening scarlet rose, enveloped in some kind of glittering cylinder out of his pocket. "It will bloom as long as our love stands. It does not only represent my love for you, it also shows if you still love me. When it perishes, we both know what will happen. But…I have already talked too much." He smiles and takes a deep breath._

"_Bloom, crown princess of Sparx, my only love and fiery pumpkin.." I smile at his pet name for me. _

"_Will you marry me?" _

_I cock an eyebrow_.

'Marriage'. The word filled my crane with hope, anger, happiness, but most of all with despair and disappointment. I was just 18.

"_You do know that the fireworks are supposed to come first, right?" His eyes widen, astounded and he seems to lose faith in himself for a moment._

"_Off course I will, you silly!" I cry out and kiss him._

"Then what made her change her mind?" I can't help but ask myself out loud. This sends him over the edge.

"What have _you_ been doing these past few days? You didn't spend two days breaking up with Alistair, so what _did_ you do?" He narrows his eyes approaches me, so I'm backed up against the fence.

"That's none of your business, Prince Sky." I whisper, pulling up the barrier again. It looks as if he wants to speak, but he changes his mind. I make a move to walk away from him, but he grasps my wrist forcedly and pulls me back into the palace, into some lost storeroom.

"Don't 'Prince-Sky' me, hon. I'm not an idiot." He whispers into my ear. I can feel his anger drenched in every syllable. My hands fall next to my body, I do not know how to react, so I grab his face and press my lips on his. He, not at all surprised, places me on a low closet so I can wrap my legs around his hips to pull him closer. He moves his hand under my t-shirt, but suddenly jerks his fingers away. Oh my God.

I am so incredibly stupid! Whilst leading myself by passion, not by my mind, I forgot to think of the tattoo. How am I going to explain this? I look at his flustered face and decide to…run! I throw the door open with all my might and dash past the door, in the hallways, until I reach the laundry room, where I meet someone I should've expected.

"Loretta." I pant heavily. I try to catch my breath and fill my lungs with a new supply of air as the sturdy woman looks askance at my shaky appearance. Shit, I totally forgot something.

Off course my return to the palace did not remain unnoticed. I refrained from calling in sick, so Loretta should be pretty livid right now. She starts summing up more rules, saying that I am absolutely out of line as a servant of Eraklyon. Only problem now is that I would like to ask her a day off to make my postponed trip to Alfea. I almost chicken out and leave the room without requesting her permission, but then I remind myself how important this is. I clear my throat and inquire in one breath:

"LorettaIamsososorrybutihadseveralproblemstoodifficulttoexplainandidontwanttobotheryouwithitbutcouldipleasepleasetakeadayofftoday?" So far my braveness. She stares at me in awe and seems to have serious doubts. She hesitates to say yes, but she asks

"Where do you have to go?" she asks, almost interested, not at all suspicious, yet more… concerned?

"I have to visit family in the neighbourhood. In Alfea." Not a complete lie. She frowns and whispers:

"I wish I could let you go, but it is very important that you stay here in the palace. Ask me again after the weekend, Miss Scarlett Rose." It's the first time she addressed me as 'miss'. What's going on here?

"Thank you, Loretta." I curtsey in order not to seem ungrateful and rush back to my room. I should work on my stamina if I want to continue these random sprints of me. Maybe I should stop running away from everything. It's just that I'm unable to feel safe and carefree. Anywhere.

I plop down my bed after locking and bolting the massive oak door. In my hurry, I drop my purse on the carpet. As I peek under the bed in order to retrieve it, I notice a piece of beige paper on the marble floor. I crawl under my bed and reach for it, eagerly to read it.

'_To myself._

_I can't believe I am writing to myself, this seems to ridiculous. However, I believe it is not an empty precautionary measure, because I do fear. Not for my life, because that woman could take it in a blink of an eye, but I fear forgetting. So I would like to perpetuate my most important memories for myself. If nothing happens, then I can laugh at my silliness. If something happens to me, I will at least be able to tell the world what happened to me. _

_Now you (which is me, by the way) are wondering: but what if someone else finds the letter? That's impossible because I put a spell on it. As long as I live, this ink will be invisible to outsiders, only I will be able to read its scribbling. When I die, everything will be revealed because if that happens, I want to drag her down with me. I don't know how much you remember, but unless you are not me (which means I'm dead. Not a very nice thought.) you should know that Sky is the key. When the name 'Sky' summons words such as 'mortifying blue eyes', 'radiant appearance', etc. you know what I'm talking about. He has betrayed me before with that wannabe jewelry-fairy, and I am not sure whether he will do it again. Everything depends on what will happen tonight.'_

There I am interrupted by a loud knock on the door. I don't feel inclined to open that door. I want to continue reading and ignore the sound, until…

"Bloom! Open the door." Unfamiliar voice. I freeze and put the note safely in my pocket.

"Bloom, I do not want to harm you, you know me. Now don't be silly and open the door." I know that voice.

"_So miss Bloom, don't you and your friends know the meaning of a curfew?"_

I jerk the door open, probably looking very dazed. In front of me is –for once- exactly the person I expected.

**A/N: I am not going to bore you with explanations why this update is so extremely awfully late, I'll just start responding to your reviews.**

**R&R :), 'cause things are getting hectic now…**

**II**

**FireFairy219: **Still in the mood to speak English, huh? And how on Earth did you find me? I thought I was pretty safe here, in the Winx Club area, very safe for Belgian teenage girls. But nooooo :p I'm glad you reviewed though, I needed a kick in my butt to make me write again. I didn't even have writer's block, you know… Anyhow, I got the feeling again and I'll try to update every week now, but don't kill me if I don't. (oh oh en als je wil kan ik u zelfs tekening van tattoo laten zien ;) keistoer!) xD

**Booklover4177:** I was just wondering since your nickname is booklover; what kind of books do you read? :) x3

**Winxprincess: **when I chew chewinggum I can't help but blowing these big bubbles (inside my mouth 'cause I don't want exploded gum all over my face) and then the bubble snaps and people glare at me. They think it's annoying! The sound of crackling gum! And it's such a sweet sound! Weird people in this world. It takes a lot of time to react to reviews (luckily-well that's relative, I don't get _that_ much reviews. Actually I wouldn't mind getting more reviews, but I shouldn't whine about that, because you are such a great reviewer! Stupid me), but then again, you put time in reviewing, so I should spend a little time in responding. I hope this wasn't a confusing chapter? (because to me, everything seems logical since I know the whole storyline, but I can imagine it's not always that simple for readers)

Anyways… thanks for another great review!

PS: do you know 'tic-tac' (It's some sort of candy)?

**Firebloom101:** thanks! That's a huge compliment, you know : ) You make me smile :D Thanx! Xoxo

**Destination's d e s t I n y: **okay I'm sick of stupid Microsoft Word, it always has to make the tiny 'I' in destiny into a capital. I'm not correcting it anymore. Seriously. From now on, it's 'd e s t I n y', not 'd e s t i n y'. so now I corrected it again, stupid me. Bloom's research is rather.. stunning and rude, but hey, if it works! But that stupid Sky never answers, she always has to remember herself. Stupid boy. You should take more time reviewing :(, because short reviews are very unlike you. Not fun. All these concepts in your review!

About Saladin; he sits in a closet to meditate because it's calm there, but for dear Bloom, he would get out off course. You _could_ see it as a pun too.

Anyhow, I'll stop responding since I have such limited time left… (that's so annoying, you know?)

BYE! xD

**Winx rocks:** oh I'll add more, this is not finished yet! :D Thanks for the review x


	20. The Thief

Chapter xx: The Thief

I shuffle through my pocket, but I couldn't get the letter properly in it, so I shove it in my back pocket.

"Don't just stand there fidgeting, miss Bloom." The crotchety and rigid woman in front of me barks.

"Miss Griselda." I mimic her tone and then realize again the graveness of this situation. "What's wrong?"

"We have to get out of here." She curtly replies, peeking in my room.

"Are the Three aware of this?" I ask worriedly.

"Off course, they summoned me to bring you to the ship." She answers hurriedly.

"Where are we going?" I ask her and start packing some clothes and personal belongings in a random suitcase. I motion her to come in, but she shakes her head in dismay. Suddenly I look up from the pink coating of my bag and eye her suspiciously.

"Does the queen now?" She rolls her eyes at this question.

"Good heavens, what's wrong with you?" she inquires impatiently and slams the suitcase shut in one swift movement. "Enough packing. We leave now." I run after her as she strides away rapidly with her hands clenched around my bag. I shut the door and sigh as I see Sky at the end of the hallway. I glance at Griselda questioningly. She shrugs and lets out a heavy sigh too. After some hesitation, she says

"Say goodbye to him." I don't dare to cock my eyebrow, but I do not consider that very clever. "Just don't tell him you're leaving. Say you are on your way to Loretta."

"But… he'll see my suitcase! And you! he doesn't know you in this appearance. How..?" all my questions disappear when Sky doesn't notice Griselda walking, he almost bumps into her, but he doesn't see her. 'Clever spell' I think to myself.

"Hey." I greet him almost inaudibly. "I'm on my way to Loretta, I'm kind of in a hurry." I rattle off.

"I understand." He comments serenely as his eyes travel over my body. He puts his hands in the pockets of my pants and pulls me closer to him. "Just don't go far, 'kay?' he asks, almost coy. I chuckle uncomfortably.

"Where would I go, you silly boy?" I babble nervously. He looks into my eyes and kisses me softly on the lips.

"You never know, Scarlett Rose." He whispers slowly, putting emphasis on those two last words, almost making me choke of guilt, sadness and …love.

"I…" I start, but he interrupts me and lets go of me.

"You have to go, I understand." He winks at me, cheery again. "Let me know if you need me!" he pecks me on the nose sweetly and practically skips away.

"I love you." I whisper breathlessly as I watch his retreating figure.

"_God I love you so much." A certain timbre of his voice frightens me and makes it sound as if it was the last time he can say this to me. I swallow hard and pull away. _

"_I love you too, Sky." _

_I look at the rose as it shines vividly on my night closet. I shake my head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts and feeling of an anxious foreboding._

_No, it will never wither._

"No!" I cry as I clench my fist, disabling the blood to run freely through my veins regularly.

* * *

I can't help but feel a little distraught, and at the same time… at home when I see those pink fairytale towers of Alfea, school for fairies. I stumble out of the plane clumsily, earning a disapproving look from Griselda. So, I kinda deserved it.

I need to be alone.

I repeat my thoughts to her out loud and she nods understandingly. After all, she's human (I know it's hard to believe.) I leave my bag to Griselda and begin walking towards the dark pine trees that seem so familiar, yet at the same time scary. I remember the letter in my pocket and pull it out frantically.

'_When the name 'Sky' summons words such as 'mortifying blue eyes', 'radiant appearance', etc. you know what I'm talking about. He has betrayed me before with that wannabe jewelry-fairy, and I am not sure whether he will do it again. Everything depends on what will happen tonight._

_You don't remember what happened tonight, that is very likely. However, if you go to the lake near Alfea, -you'll know which one I'm talking about when you reach it- you _must_ remember something. I know you don't want to, because I know it was too damn painful, but you have to. I can't just pen here what happened, because I already had to experience it, let alone relive the moment. Please remember, but don't suffer the pain I went through._

I'm reading, not really paying attention to where I am going, until I reach a big bright blue, unnaturally glistening lake.

"_I don't think I want to marry…" I start, but my lovely companion, obviously disagreeing, interrupts me._

"_What are you talking about?" he exclaims, almost feeling personally offended and he grabs my hand, in a passion._

"_You have to let me finish. I will not marry anyone but you." His face seems to illuminate and it seems as if he wants to pose me the question this very moment. "Off course not now," I hurry, "I'm only 18 and we have plenty of time. It's time for me to fulfill my destiny and establish my kingdom."_

"_Look at you, all grown up." He quips. I place my free hand on his cheek and utter gravely._

"_I am. We have been together for two years, including a lot of ups and one very 'down' down, and…" I sigh. "I have never had this feeling before."_

"_You're trying to make me speechless, aren't you?" He remarks and kisses me lightly. "And what kind of proposal do you fancy, my lady?" he laughs again and looks at me questioningly. "Something public? Something intimate?" he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively. I push him down on the carpet we brought for our picnic and go sit on top of him._

"_You'd better think of something impressive and I might reject you." I roll of him and stretch out lazily. "I want a Mansfield Park-proposal. I want you to be my Edmund, using Henry Crawford's overtures". He laughs, but he stops when he realizes…_

"_You're not joking."_

"_Nope." I laugh for my part at his baffled face. "Don't worry, I don't expect it within several years, you will have found it out by then."_

I sense a completely new sensation of happiness washing over me. When I force myself to look at the further writing and the words sink in, I close my eyes, shocked.

Not possible.

**Booklover4177: **Okay so your name 'booklover' is kinda correct : ) I wonder… fan of 'twilight'?

**FireFairy219: **you're not missing something about the 'she' : ) it's not just a note, as you may have understood by now… It's going to be a long letter ; ) Although… nah I'm not going to spill anything yet. This chapter has been on my computer for SO long, but I had to reply to reviews and yada yada so I constantly forgot. Plus, notulen maken voor Nederlands - - HELPT NIET =) The thing with the corny stuff, I have to stick to the show a little bit, unless I would have to do an OOC fic, and I've only done that once because it's much more difficult. You should also keep in mind this is a slightly younger 'audience' generally so… And about the switching… that's my personal look on a relationship I suppose… The OOC-story 'The Bet' is mostly sexual and … cynical for that matter. I think it's a lot more mature. And you know… love IS cheesy. Well… toodles ;) x

**Firebloom101: **that's kind of a _huge_ compliment! Thank you so much!

**Starfire1994: **Thanks! Well it will reach its peak in a few chapters…I still need to insert some magic though… (I almost forgot!) xD

**Winxrocks: **thank you! =D And the mystery is unfolding… x

**Winxprincess: **Yes! It was a clear chapter! Finally! =D About the tictacs again (I know I'm obsessed ;)) My friend is addicted to tictac, the mint ones… He eats like two packages a day sometimes! It's crazy, I think he has gotten immune to it. Yeah I have msn! I'll send you a PM so you can add me! The letter… I liked it too honestly ;) It had to be funny and a bit light, 'cause though Bloom knew when she wrote it that it was a serious situation, it's also a bit bizarre huh, writing to your future self? Anyhow, I have to go, there is a portion of chocolat pudding waiting for me! Bye!

**Destination's d e s t I n y:** so I did it again, I changed your pen name again. Sue me ;) (just kidding, don't do that!) I know the proposal was a bit over the top, forgive me ;) But it's Sky we're talking about, remember? That's just who he is.

You know, the fact that they always want each other, is rather normal in a relationship ;) At least in mine. But maybe I'm just a slutty tart ;) About the letter: she wrote it A) to herself, because she was sure something was going to happen, like… for example her enemy would hypnotize her so she wouldn't remember who she was, or brainwash her, etc etc. She knew_ something_ was going to happen, so she took measures. Or B) she would get killed and her enemy would walk away without being punished.. And she wanted people to know (with people she means Sky and her friends) what had happened. Okay? Thanks for the review! And now you should tell me who you thought it was behind the door! xoxo


	21. Revelation

**A/N **So I have written the flashbacks in italics. To avoid confusion, I put every end and beginning word of a piece of the letter in **bold. **enjoy, but don't get too choqued to review!

Chapter xxi: Revelation

'**I **know you must be experiencing some over the moon, goofy happiness.

Don't.

It will only make the blow worse. And yes, it will be a severe blow, even if you only love him a tenth of how you once did.

I don't blame him. Actually… I do. At least I don't hate him. I could never. And that seriously sucks. If you're at the lake now, and you don't remember, I'll make **you.**'

The second word in the following sentence was written in such a deep red that it looked like fresh blood.

'**The** Rose he gave to **you**'

"_So I will only see you next week…" he confesses, a bit saddened. "My mother is preparing me. For my throne." He rolls his eyes._

"_And who am I to interfere?" I giggle. "Fiancé." He hands me the rose with a grave expression and embraces me lovingly._

"_God I love you so much." A certain timbre of his voice frightens me and makes it sound as if it was the last time he can say this to me. I swallow hard and pull away. _

"_I love you too, Sky." _

_--_

_I look at the rose as it shines vividly on my night closet. I shake my head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts and feeling of an anxious foreboding._

_No, it will never wither._

'**You **must recall your meeting with the queen, though it was one of my worst traumas. She just… broke me. When you recollect that meeting, you also remember what she asked you to do. She asked you to break up with Sky, your first and only love, who was also your fiancé now. Search for the path with the wild **roses**.'

I put the letter in my back pocket again because I had read enough not to feel devastated already. I felt as if I was looking at a movie that was slowly unrevealing the mystery. Only, this movie is my life. As I mean to perceive the path I mentioned in the letter, I start to feel dizzy. My knees buckle and…

_I fall down on my knees, overwhelmed by contradictory feelings and_ _the acknowledgement that my whole world had just collapsed. _

"_Bloom?" I hear a soft knock on my door. "You wanted to talk to me." I look at the scarlet flower, still burning ardently, and realize it will betray me. I put it in a black bag, but I have to wrap it up twice more because it keeps running light. I shove it in my closet, cursing._

"_I'm coming!" I yell as I lock the drawer hurriedly._

"_Why can't I enter?" He asks laughing. The tinkling cheery sound almost makes me cry again. I swallow hard and sniff._

"_It's kinda messy."I smile difficultly, I know he will sense I'm faking everything. I don't want my worst memory perpetuated in my bedroom. "Besides, it's a beautiful day. Let's go to the lake!" Everything I say sounds phony and shrill. He takes my hand and we walk in silence. For a while. I let my free hand travel over all the vegetation we encounter during our stroll, but suddenly I shriek in horror._

"_What is it?" he asks worriedly._

"_Nothing." I reply, gazing at the thorns of the bloody roses that stung my ring finger. Oh the irony. _

_What a torture. I never knew there were roses here._

"_Bloom, what's wrong? I see something is bothering you and I tried to wait until you told me yourself, but please tell me." He begs with a sweet face._

"_Take a seat." I motion stiffly at a soft spot of grass. This piercing voice is not my own. It is cool and distant. And out to destroy the bliss of two people._

"_Has something happened? To the girls? To Sparx?" Not yet, I think bitterly._

"_I can't see you anymore." I 'come clean', not at all relieved._

"_What? That is a very lame joke! Bloom, don't…" he glances at me again. "You're not joking."_

"_I am so sorry." I burst into tears and start kissing him, almost hysterically. I want to feel the sensation of his lips again, I want to feel him, love him. I feel as if I have never had the chance to tell him what he means to me. I pull away reluctantly and angry, because I know I'm only making it harder for myself._

_I take a breath but it does not give me more air. _

_I swallow, but I do not regain my voice. _

_I lick my lips, but they remain dry._

"_I don't love you." She told me that would be the best way, he would leave me alone if I did not leave him any hope, if crushed him. And she knows her son best._

"_But… you agreed to marry me!" he objects, not-understanding. I ignore the fact that his blue eyes are starting to become blurry and that his eyes are becoming moist. I warn myself not to hear his voice break, not to feel his touch._

"_That's how I realized. I can never marry you. I do not love you." I drone, like a robot, emotionless._

"_So… we were just a lie to you? A pretty waste of time?"he's getting mad at me. "What has happened to you? This is not you. I know my pumpkin, she is not that cold girl in front of me. It is not too late, Bloom. What's wrong?"_

"_Your mother. She made me do this." I whisper, barely audible. It was a mistake to say that._

"_What are you talking about? You're talking nonsense, you're confused."_

"_You have no idea." I get up, not sobbing, I have to make him believe I do not regret this. "Please never contact me again."_

"_Bloom, no! Tell me, what are you rambling about my mother making you do this."_

"_She…" I snort "… entreated me to break up with you."_

"_What?!" he bursts out, jumping up. God, I hope he won't kill his mother._

"_I… I know… I never thought…" I stutter._

"_How dare you say these lies?!" He cries out angrily, on the verge of… enraged. He…_

"_You…don't believe me?" I stutter, unbelievingly. That's where I crack. I sink down again, falling onto the humid blades of grass, smelling the freshness and I understand why it's a symbol for new life and hope. Not that hope is my dearest friend at this moment. _

"_She's my mother, Bloom! She did everything for me! She… made me!"_

"_What the hell? She did not raise you, nor did she make you! You were raised by nannies and yourself, Sky, you are who you are thanks to… you!" I exclaim, exasperated._

"_She wouldn't ask you to do that!"_

"_She hates me!" I retaliate._

"_She… wouldn't ask you to do that!" he repeats, grumbling only a bit._

"_She threatened to destroy me!"_

"_Okay, that's it! I don't have to listen to this crap!"_

"_Oh, so what I tell you is crap?!" I yell, my voice raising three tones higher._

"_At this very moment, YES!" His eyes widen, realizing he just made a major mistake._

"_Right." I swallow. "Figures. I wipe my tears away with the back of my left hand, leaving a mark of blood on my face. "It was nice knowing you, Prince Sky."_

"_Bloom, don't." he grasps my arm, desperately and spins me around, facing him again._

"_Don't what?" I snap. "Don't do this to me, just let me go. I would appreciate it if you never contacted me again." I snatch my arm away, offended._

"_Bloom! I love you." He tries one last time. I turn around and let the tears cascading down my face freely. I don't care if he sees it, I hope he sees it, I hope he imprints it, I hope he will still know it within the next millennium and I hope he will be tormented by it. So I reply:_

"_Good. Remember that."_

**A/N: Okay kiddos, that's it. It took me sometime, but I have been in France these past 2 weeks. I had a huge burst of inspiration there, not only for this story, but also for a new one! Thanks for the reviews and your patience! I know this chapter consisted mostly of flashbacks, but… they **_**are**_** very important too. Next chapter **_**will**_** be present action and some new revelations will come. You don't know the half of it… : )**

**Firebloom101: **Well I am very sorry that nothing actually happened. at least not in the present. In Bloom's past though, things happened… But this is not the end, you know ;) Thanks x

**Winx rocks**: I did a great job at revealing the mystery, if I might be so bold : D more revelations are to come! It would be lame if I already told you everything in one chapter, right? What would be the fun of _that_? :D x

**Winxprincess:** you know there's a limited edition tictac pina colada and pineapple? I mean… ew :D I think it's going to be damn difficult to get to talk to you because of the hour difference (don't you live in Australia). Is your holiday stuffed with travelling? Maybe we should set a date to talk on msn : ) because I would like to talk to you too you know… We'll see. PM me about it Bye! x3

**Booklover4177: **good heavens, those are a lot of series of books I have never heard of. I'm still stuck in the 19th century literature :) so I don't have much time to read contemporary fantasy, though I have read twilight and I am a great fan of supernatural stories (why else would I write about winx? :D)

**Firefairy:** well, no worries… you will never have to wait for yannick to send you a presentation. EVER! :D bit creepy huh? You should really consider oneshots, they can be very loved and popular too. The trial-stories you have written, where they digimon or winx? Thanks for the flattering! Yeah I really liked the chapter too, I thought it was good myself :) This one is not bad, but off course, it's just.. flashbacks.

**TotallyLori: **I think I'll have to copy the first word in your review and say: 'Wow.' I mean… what a review! It's so thorough that I'll read it twice more (and I have already read it three times) and then I will send you a pm, because I have too much to remark. You certainly left an impression, though. I updated! :D x


	22. And now?

Chapter xxii: 

I have to do something. Return to the palace? That could only work if no one noticed I had left in the first place. Yet, I packed a suitcase. I didn't take all my belongings though. If they didn't notice I was gone, then I'm officially invisible. Maybe Loretta took care of everything. This uncertainty is killing me.

And what about Sky? How could I ever face that floppy-haired, cruel, moronic asshole? I would have to keep myself from killing him.

_He can never know who I am. It would ruin my whole plan. The plan. My plan. I am not sure how to call it though. Anyhow, if he would knew, if he would only suspect the tiniest thing, it would tear me apart. I would at least be… distracted. I'd lose my objectivity. That wouldn't be very advantageous to my plan. The question remains: what will win? My love for him? Or my revenge towards her? I cannot possibly say her name, I cannot even think it. If I wanted to… No I don't want to, I'll hear her name enough, and it will be pronounced with so much regard and so much respect that it will make me gag. I mean honestly, who could ever address such a woman respectfully after knowing what she did? To me. Maybe there were others. I bet there are others. She would do anything for her precious son. She would kill for him. Oh right, she already did that, she has killed _me._ Luckily I will not have to speak to him and I will not serve her. Unless I will be promoted. I will carefully let promotion pass. I will be industrious. And invisible. I am good at that, I've done it before, the whole self-effacing-thing. I am tough, I can easily resist him. Until I see him. I will avoid him, it's not as if servants get to know the royal family. I hope so._

_Maybe I'll meet him once, I'll avoid looking him in the eye. The eyes. That's what did it. I will avoid looking in those beautiful, gorgeous, overwhelming impossibly blue eyes of him. Right, 'cause that sounds credible. Option 2: no avoiding, but I will never raise my look at him. Maybe no one will notice, maybe people will applaud my humbleness. Right, and I am the queen of Eraklyon._

Good heavens, knowing that that woman is wandering around there, unpunished, not condemned after she committed murder! Insufferable!

Yet, what is my other option? Stay here and pine away? Rot? Disappear? Never see his face again? The face that cause so much grief and agony? Oh how I hate him with every fiber of my being. However, this hatred seems so unnatural after how I loved him. My disagreeable musings are interrupted by a familiar feeble cough.

"I need your help, Stell." I whisper, looking up at her through my tears. She extends her hand, but she pulls me into a smothering embrace instead.

"I'm always there for you." She loosens the hug and strokes her thumb over my wet eyelids and grimaces. "You should really but waterproof." She sternly rebukes. I laugh half-heartedly. I am going to get through this.

"I can't do this!" I burst out desperately. "Do you know what you're asking me?" I ask, looking at the big magic simulator-thing in Alfea.

"Off course we do, darling." Flora sweetly replies. She lays her tanned hand over mine encouragingly. "We had to do it once too." She adds, more confident.

"But," I object, "You all _knew_ you had powers." I sigh, not frustrated, rather despondent. "I have no reason whatsoever to even suspect I have magic, except for a doctor's report that said –I quote- 'some traces of magic found'."

"See!" Layla suddenly shrieks. A bit too enthusiastic. I raise my look at Stella, but she doesn't blink.

"You know as well as I that can mean I was only attacked by a magical force. You don't have enough arguments to persuade me to into that simulator and to risk my life, girls. I'm sorry."

"What's the doctor's name?" Musa asks. I eye her suspiciously before saying the name. she nods at Tecna curtly, supported by three pairs of glistening eyes.

"What are you going to do?" I query slowly as Tecna starts tapping on her computer furiously. I peek at the screen and catch the name of my doctor.

"Are you… hacking?" where did that word come from?

"God, Bloom." Stella chuckles. "You still haven't overcome that earthly vocabulary?"

"In Magix, we call it 'infiltrating'." Tecna elucidates without removing her eyes from the screen or her fingers from the keyboard. "Hacking sounds so aggressive and pirating."

"And illegal." I add, unable to suppress a smile.

Stella scans the file quickly: "Traces of magic found… consistent with… yada yada… magical burns…drowning…" I close my eyes as if that will block the words.

"Ever since I went to Sparx, I have felt as if something was inside of me. It is crawling deeper and deeper, I can feel it getting more pronounced every week, every day, every second. If I hadn't known that I was Bloom, even then I would've presumed it was something special. Out of this world. It's stuck in my chest, in my lungs, in my head, in my whole being. And I can't get out." I open my eyes. "I can't get out." I repeat. Ten eyes look at me with the same look of emotion, surprise … and passion. Stella blabs firstly

"Oh my…"

"God." Musa finishes aberrantly.

"She did it." Layla whispers.

"I've read 462 documents about that matter, but…" Tecna starts.

"I didn't think it was possible." Flora helps, finishing the sentence. Okay, that does it.

"What the HELL is going on?"

"Lift your shirt, Bloom." Stella drawls, mesmerized. I glance at Flora incredulously. But for once, her look is determined. They _know_?

"Listen to her, hon." I tug at the hem of my shirt and pull it over my head, revealing the gigantic tattoo that scarred me when I visited my home planet.

"When?" Layla asks breathlessly as the others remain silent. They almost look… afraid?

"Sparx." I merely respond. It's already painful enough to pronounce that word. "What is it?" I finally manage to squeeze out.

"It's magic Bloom. Pure magic."

**A/N: Sorry for this sort of crappy chapter (especially after the last one), but I needed some transition. And I love giving you cliffies :D I had finished this chapter a few days ago, but I have just started a job, so I'm tired every evening, so I forgot. Anyhow, inspiration is still on hand and there is new material, so keep on R&R!**

**Thank you!**

**Booklover4177: **I apologize for this slightly less revealing chapter, but you'll see it is necessary! I have that all the time too, that plenty of people don't know what books I read! At first I was annoyed by that, but now I kinda accepted it : )Thanks for your review! x

**Starfire1994: **it's about the last memories of the first part she has. But there is a second part : ) I'll check out you story as soon as I have posted my chapter! (though power ranger is in a waaaay far past of me ; ))

**Firebloom101: **thanks : ) Yeah, it is a bit of a sad story. But in the next chapter, you will also see, it is rather powerful. Thanks x

**Firefairy219: ** You haven't tried writing for winx yet? That's stupid :p Somehow it's easier for me to write winx stories! It always takes longer to write other kinds of stories and I always get stuck with them, incredibly annoying. So viva winx :D I have noticed a few weeks ago that the fourth season was on. But there is also a version with English subtitles, you know, but if you like guessing Italian more, that's fine too : ) I have only seen the first episode or so, and now I'm kinda busy so… maybe later! Destined to be, it is beautiful, but no so easy, as you may notice :)

**TotallyLori:** I'll PM you again : ) x


	23. Memoretch

Chapter xiii: Memoretch

Tecna sighs as everyone's looks dart over to her in order to clarify what they're talking about, since the other girls don't seem to have a clear explanation.

"In magical terms, it's called memoretching." She starts, speaking very slowly and cautiously.

"_What the hell is that?" I ask, dumbfounded. Sometimes I feel so stupid, being an earth girl._

"_Every magical being knows the name and knows how powerful it is, but only a quarter of them actually know what it is. It's quite fascinating, …" Tecna is interrupted by Stella's arrogant words._

"_The summary please."_

"_Slang for memoretch is tattoo-lock, and that name actually clarifies the action. To put it very simple, very rough," she emphasizes, "it's storing away your magic. All that remains is a scar on your body. Big or little, according to the level of your magic. If you have very little magic, you can barely see it with a magnifying glass. With us winx, it would be something the size of an 8-inch sun, flower, … according to the nature of your power. It's not very hard to do it when you have a small amount of magic. The witches in the old world (Earth, that is) used to do it all the time. Off course, their magic was primal, purely based upon nature, mother earth and luck. Their mark could be hidden. However, as time passed by, witches became stronger, the scar became got a certain form, it became a tattoo. And it required too much magic too actually perform the ceremony. Some tried, and they lost their magic."_

"_How?" I manage to squeeze out._

"_Firstly, you need a huge amount of power. Secondly, an iron will, and thirdly: you have to make the biggest sacrifice a fairy, wizard or witch can ever make."_

"_Magic. You have to give up magic." Flora explains with a sad look before I can ask._

"_It oppresses every form of magic," Tecna continues darkly, "Every power, every spell, every formula, every thought of magic you ever had. You are cleared. Your hard disk is not just formatted, it's completely erased. What's left is your pc. Nothing is on it."_

"_Your magic, the pearl, is extracted." Flora contributes once more. "And all that remains is… well, not you."_

"A shell." I utter in a low whisper.

"Oh Bloom, sweetie, that's not true!" Flora starts hushing me, but she's cut off by a livid-looking Musa.

"Cut the crap, Flo. Y'all know she's not herself without magic. No wonder she feels empty and useless. Put yourself in her place girls, how would you feel when you lost your powers?"

_I am only surrounded by darkness, there is nothing else anymore. _

"But she doesn't even remember she had powers!" Tecna objects.

_No memories. _

"That makes it even worse, Tec!" Musa practically yells now.

_No pain. _

_I have forsaken my identity, my birth. _

"Musa" I cut in softly, but change the tone of my voice as she doesn't seem to understand. "Shut up."

_I will no longer be Bloom, the Crown Princess of the royal kingdom of Sparx. _

The last two words, spoken bitterly, astound the female population in this room.

_I have given up my ever-lasting love for Sky, it will be suppressed._

"Don't get me wrong, it's really nice of you." I try to wipe off the angry look of her countenance. I just don't want to spend any more thoughts on it."

"Then what do you suggest?" Layla snarls indignantly.

_I have bound my magic, it's ready to be unleashed at the right moment._

I glance at her curtly and say casually

"Destroy the queen of Eraklyon."

_For my vengeance._

* * *

I have decided I will return to the palace. I need to make sure the queen gets punished. Preferably in public. To do so, I need proof. Unless I want to be sentenced to life imprisonment in the infamous dungeons of Eraklyon. And where better to look than in the lion's den? After all: keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer.

I can't stop myself from thinking about what I did to myself, the whole memoretching…

I can't help but wonder…

"_Why would anyone ever do that?" Brandon asks. We have just met the guys, and Tecna wanted to know their opinion on memoretching too, because she felt we couldn't judge well enough for ourselves. _

"_I would." I reply rather gruffly and a little to swiftly according to Sky's short, yet disturbed glance._

"_But if I get it right, you would have to give up everything, right?" he looks at Tecna questioningly and goes on as she nods reassuringly. He adjusts his glasses on his nose, as if he wants to brace himself. "It's a whole new level of being. Namely, being someone else." He concludes._

I wish these memories would stop overrun me. I wonder what Sky really thought of it.

"_Maybe Timmy is right." I murmur, lazily stroking his hand with my thumb._

"_Yeah." He merely replies, distractedly. Pause. "Or maybe he's not."_

"_You're being weird." I chuckle sheepishly and retract my hand._

"_You really think I wouldn't know you anymore? That I wouldn't want you anymore? That you would be someone _else_ to me?" He surprises me by bursting out like this. Oh he rants on. "Do you really think you would have lost yourself in your magic? You, heiress to the throne of Sparx, the realm that holds the greatest power of all dimensions?"_

"_I don't think so?" I reply interrogatively. _

"_I don't think so." I whisper again. He puts his finger under my chin and tilts it._

"_That's my girl."_

Before I leave, I could check the letter I wrote to myself again. Maybe I missed some crucial info that could help me to accuse the queen. I snatch the letter out of my back pocket and fold it open. When I reach the bottom of the paper, I notice something I haven't seen yet. The edge is shredded as if… someone tore off a piece.

A fire in my heart that should have been frozen for the one who did this is rekindled.

_Sky_.

**A/N: I'm sorry, but I don't have time to reply to you all. I will make it up to you in the next chapter! Or maybe I'll send you a reply, I'm not sure. So… cliffy! Bloom will go to Eraklyon in the next chapter. It will be XXL!**

**Bye!**

**Xd**

**II**


	24. Protection Program

Chapter xxiii: Protection program

I am awaiting the arrival of princess Bloom. I am not sure how she will react to the fact that I tore a piece off the letter. I suppose she will be displeased, which is her right off course. But if protecting one royal makes the other upset, I'll take the chance.

"_She returned to Sparx!" he screams, throwing my door open._

"_Didn't you learn to knock, Prince Sky?" I retort laconically._

"_I… I felt it." he stammers incoherently._

"_You will have to be more precise." I reply, annoyed._

"_The heart-shaped tattoo." He utters breathlessly._

"_What tattoo?" I ask, irritated by my own ignorance._

"_The one she got when her powers… improved. I thought it was gone, but I felt it. At first I thought it was callous, but then I wondered who has callous in that place? And she with her flawless skin?" he goes on ramblingly._

"_Miss Bloom never had a tattoo. And getting a tattoo by 'improving' your powers is impossible. In fact, it is almost non-existent to…"_

"_Almost huh?" he cuts me off, surprisingly lucid. Then he says what I least expected, but dreaded most._

"_Memoretch." He pauses to see the effect of his words. "Isn't it?" he urges impatiently._

"_It makes sense she had a small tattoo. As preparation. Her magic would never fit into a tiny heart, or in her case, flames or a dragon. She couldn't store all her magic, because she still needed it." I continue to reason logically. "I suppose she laid the foundation there." I say more to myself than to my companion."When did she learn about memoretch?" I address the prince again._

"_A few months before graduation, I guess. It concerned me that she showed an interest in it immediately."_

"_And when did you spot the tattoo for the first time?"_

"_Oh." He flushes pink by recollecting. "Two weeks before she disappeared."_

"_Isn't that one day after…?" I suggest by letting the words linger._

"_Yes." He nods, distraught. "It's as if she knew."_

"_That she was going to be killed?" I shoot back harshly, noticing the sudden clenching of his fist. He buries his nails in his palm, almost making them bleed. _

"_I told you she went to Sparx! She was gone for _two_ days!" He yells, throwing his hands up in the air._

"_Don't patronize me! I have been watching her like a hawk since she arrived to ensure she was more than okay. That's more than you could ever claim."I burst out violently. I sigh when I spot his defeated expression._

"_I am not sorry that I let that slip. It's the truth. But I should have been more.. controlled."_

"_She went back to the place where…" he ignores my outburst and apologies. "she disappeared."_

"_Prince Sky." I sternly reprimand him. "You need to learn to say she died there. Or at least got attacked. You have nothing to be blamed for." I add, softer. I manage to keep myself from saying 'Quite the contrary', because I recall what furious reaction that brought about before. He nods his head once, twice, but his mind obviously isn't convinced._

"_I'll take care of it." I conclude, glancing pointedly at the door. He gets the hint but he continues to stand there like a lost lamb._

"_What do I have to do?" This question surprises me, since he has never considered me before._

"_Ignore the fact that you felt the etch. I am sure you will be happy to forget. And so will she."_

"_And what about…?" he starts uncertainly. Very out of character for him to be at loss of words._

"_What about?" I inquire in the same manner._

"_The letter." He states. "Her letter."_

"_Why haven't you informed me about this letter before?" I ask angrily. And a little slighted, I confess._

"_Well…the Three knew of it, so I assumed…"_

"_If the Three didn't report this to me, how could it be important?" I scoff, trying to hide the indignation and uncertainty in my voice._

"_Maybe it's so important they didn't report it." he astonishes me. "It contains everything."_

"_Everything that happened to her." He explains gruffly. "She must have put a spell on the letter."_

"_How so?" I ask, not-understanding._

"_As soon as she started to breathe again, it was blank."_

"_Clever spell." I smile at Bloom's ingenuity. "Not that advanced, though." I start ruffling through some books when another question hits me. "You said 'everything'. How was she able to do that? She was dead." He flinches at the word._

"_She heard me, okay?" he bursts out, exasperated._

"_And since she and the letter had such a strong bond..." I whisper, amazed. "Her mind transferred it onto paper. That is wonderful!" I exclaim. "Not so wonderful for you, though." I realize. "For someone who didn't want to be discovered, you did an awful job at covering up." I know I start to sound like an old had. He doesn't reply, but stares at the floor distractedly. "Take it from her." I decide._

"_But…" he protests faintly._

"_I'm sure you'll find a way prince Sky. It will be in her back pocket." I raise my hand as he wants to object again. "Don't tell me you haven't touched that part of her yet." He doesn't respond, obviously embarrassed. He turns around without saying a word._

"Griselda!" Miss Bloom screeches, entering my room without knocking. What is it with these young royals? "Where IS he?" She yells loudly. I think she's not talking about the cook.

* * *

I am so _beyond _pissed! How dare he took the letter from me? That son of bitch wanted to prevent me from discovering something. Stupid me for not reading the letter completely when I had the chance. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I am going to his room right now to steal that letter from him. Excuse me, I will make it return to its rightful owner.

Maybe I should go see Griselda first. After all, she did escort me to Alfea and she did a lot for me. It shows respect and some sense in my head. With every stride I take, I feel the anger building up inside of me. Every painting, every wall, every column in this palace reminds me of him . And of his betrayal. By the time I reach Griselda's room, I am yet again infuriated and beyond beyond pissed if that's possible. Well it is now!

"Griselda!" I cry out lividly, but it comes out more like a squeal. I throw the door open and continue my angry rant "Where IS he!"

She stares at me as if … well I don't know. Her face expression is blank, I can't deduce anything from it.

"Well?" I ask impatiently, tapping my foot on the floor nervously. "Where?"

"Miss Bloom," she chuckles, ill at ease. "How would I know where his majesty is?"

"Well, you should know!" I grumble. "You're Loretta, Griselda!" Okay, that sounds weird.

"You should try his room, miss Bloom." She finally advises.

"Thank you!" I exclaim gratefully. Then another, rather disagreeable thought dawns upon me. "I can't go to his quarters and you know that! If I would do that, in the position I am, as a servant, I would be fired! And my cover would be blown. I don't want that!"

"Exactly." She smiles knowingly. Oh, she must be so satisfied of herself. She must be hiding something; why else doesn't she give me the opportunity to talk to Sky? Maybe I'm getting paranoid. But I _need _that letter.

"Miss Bloom, you should go to your room." She smiles encouragingly. Maybe she's right. There's nothing I can do today anyway. Tomorrow he will go out hunting as usual. I'll try to casually run in to him and yell his head off there. Perfect. I should try to calm down and go to my bedroom.

* * *

When I enter the room, I feel like weeping. God I am so pathetic. Get over yourself already, Bloom!

I want to pull the curtain shut in order to take a quick nap (the running around like crazy and being angry is exhausting, but I grasp the thing fabric to forcefully, that I rip it off.

"Oh great." I mutter, upset. I'm the freaking application of Murphy's law! I move a chair near the window to reattach the drape. As I reconnect the hook with the little plastic ring, I notice with my other hand that the upper window sill is hollow. I slowly let my hand travel through the narrow space, meeting a lot of dust, a –eeeew- spider and something hard and cold. I lift my hand and open my palm little by little. A diamond. A crimson ruby.

This means something. It reminds me of that spirit…

"_You are Bloom, queen of Sparx." The voice is starting to sound irritated_

"_No, no, I'm Scarlett, servant in the palace of Eraklyon."_

"_Hon, I'm a 500-year-old spirit in a lake, I'm pretty sure I know who you are." Oh, from irritated to piqued._

God not that flashback!

"_You have to look for help in the palace! There is help very close, female help. Help of wise old women."_

My head is spinning because of all the reminiscing, and it's still not the right one_._

"_Your secret lies in the name." She ignores my question, confusing me with another riddle._

Off course, it not the name of my current residence, the spirit of the lake couldn't know that. She only knows one building.

I switch on my computer and start browsing through the website of the Royal Family of Eraklyon. Residences!

Aqua house, winter house

"_Which name?"_

Purpurea Palace, country house. I need the summer house!

And then I see it. Exactly how I remember it.

"_You secret lies in the name of your residence."_

**Ruby **Manor.

Oh this is not good.

**A/N: **Cliffie :)

**Next chapter: heavy BloomxSky and the queen joins the company! R&R (reviews will make me update faster ;) No blackmail kiddo's, just a reminder! :D And I'll update ANYhow off course, because I love you all ;)x**

**II**

**SweetIvette13: **Thank you! I already know what's going to happen in the next chapter, so it will be a quicker update! x3

**Booklover4177**

**BloomandSky4ever: **tingling is goooood! Keep on tingling ;) xD

**Winxprincess: **you have school already :o I feel so sorry for you! I think the time diff is about is 8 or 9 hours. It's like the same diff between Belgium and California :D But you're ahead of us, and California is waay behind. I was wondering, do you only like Taylor Lautner, or do you also like twilight? :) Toodles! Xoxo

**Starfire1994: **thanx! x

**Totally Lori: **Oh god, is it possible that I already replied to this review? Noooo :o I have the feeling I have forgotten about one though, am I right? And now I'm rattling! It's just that I want to post this chapter reeeaaally quick and start writing on the next one as soon as possible! Sorry for the short comment, but I'm in an inspirational mood!

**FireFairy219: **I was like 'stout'? in my vocabulary, that means 'fat' :D I read 19th century lit too much, I suppose. But I figured it out off course, it's pretty obvious. Yeah well, the killing Bloom makes the queen somewhat inhumane, don't ya think? :) I have an idea for a new story by the way, I'll show it to you during our holidays (yay! Can't wait actually! And we should really set a date for a meeting _before_ Greece-- I want to be able to recognize you before we step on an airplane. And read my mail about the seating, btw!) Yeah, the two parts are memor and etch. I'm not fond of the meaning of 'retch' :p Didn't know that. By rereading your review, I was reminded of the fact that I promised an xxl-chapter, when I was about to post a chapter that only contained 800 words (shame on me). So I doubled it :) It's not xxl yet, but at least it's xl. Have to go now! Tschüs!


	25. Someone Out There

* * *

Chapter xxiv: Someone out there

I decide to leave already, hoping to win time by encountering Stella in the process (which is ridiculous since I called on her a mere ten seconds ago, but my mind is a giant messy, turmoil). As I dash down the hallway, trying to figure out what would be the best exit from which to greet Stella, I hear a disturbing rumbling behind a high mahogany door I had never noticed before. I do not think of venturing in that unknown piece and want to pass it cautiously when I hear the rumbling again. I command my disobedient feet to stand still and try to determine where the sound is coming from.

I slowly lay my hand on the door knob, feeling my pulse quickening with every twitch of a muscle. I try to remember if someone told me if this door was forbidden and assuring myself no one ever did, I blank my mind and twist the gilded lion head. The door begins to creep open tediously slow. As soon as the crack is big enough for me to squeeze through, I am pulled in by a soft, firm hand. I only manage to squeak something incoherently when the door shuts very loudly, leaving me alone in the oppressing dark.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of the dark, I prefer darkness to sleep in, but… My stream of futile, rambling thoughts is shook up by one daunting realization: I am not alone.

The shallow, ragged breathing is my own; the steady lethargic wail is definitely not mine. The cold hand engulfing my sweaty fingers is certainly not mine. I lift my hand almost too slowly and bump into a flat, hard surface. I move it upwards, lingering under the chin, feeling the stubby, though smooth skin. I place my hand in the nape of his neck, firmly grasping a strand of hair, of which I know it is blonde, making him quiver _once_. Almost as if I didn't touch him. I finger his face, letting my tips travel over his eyebrows, his closed eyelids and his perfect chiseled nose. I stop immediately when I reach his lips, eliciting a jagged, uncontrolled gasp from him. Something inside him seems to snap suddenly and violently. He kisses my hand passionately and rests his hands on my waist, as if they have always belonged there. I have to speak up. This shouldn't feel right. Didn't his mother break my body? Didn't _he_ break all of me?

"Sky," I murmur my voice thick with emotion, "I can't…" I don't recognize this sound erupting from my own throat because of all the trembling.

"I know." He replies softly, kissing my temple oh so tenderly.

"No you don't!" I exclaim, choqued by my own intense reaction, and manage to release myself from this spell he had over me. He recoils immediately and snorts almost annoyed.

"Why did you take it?" I blaze furiously. "Isn't there any light here?!" I look up surprised as the bulb switches on out of the blue.

"Thank you." I softly say. At least now I'm able to see his face. Maybe that's not such a good thing.

"I didn't do anything." He whispers back. I stare at him in complete disbelief.

"You filthy liar!" I shout, about nothing in particular. "Shouldn't your nose have grown three feet by now? How dare you?!" I cry out, battering my fists on his chest.

"Maybe you haven't realized yet, but I am actually helping you! You don't need me, Bloom!"

"Yes, I do!" I scream, confused. "I did." I correct myself reluctantly. "Did you just call me Bloom?" I ask dumbstruck. He averts his look, the flimsy light only shines on his right cheek.

"I…" he starts, strangely proud, but he doesn't need to finish.

"You knew. You knew. You knew. You knew!" I repeat in a hysteric and hurt litany.

"I did. But there was no proof until…" His hand flies to my blouse so quickly that I cannot stop him. "I felt this." His hands lift the thin fabric and are surprisingly cool on my heated, raw skin. "You've had something similar before." He wants to explain, but I cut him off lividly, unable to control my emotions.

"I _know_ you idiot! Tattoo-lock, huh? You advised me against doing it!" He flinches slightly at the mention, but his hand continues to travel upwards. "I did it to protect myself from _her." _I emphasize the word as loudly and darkly as I'm able to. It sends him over the edge: he removes his hand in a blink of an eye, lays it on my stomach and pushes me against the wall, closing me in.

"Now what do you want from me? Do you want me to kill my mother? Do you want me to make myself disappear? What do you _want_?!" he yells at my face. First impulse wants to say 'you'. I don't utter my wish, but he reads it in my eyes nonetheless. He moves away from me, horrified at his own merciless behaviour. And I want to grab him so badly, comfort him.

"I'm sorry." He mumbles rapidly. He cups my face and presses his lips on mine. "Do you forgive me?"

"Yes." I reply out loud. "Sky, I…" I begin, but the rest of my words are not heard because of Stella bellowing my name in the hallway. I avert my look to glance at the door and when I turn my face back, he's no longer there. God, I have no time to figure this out. I swing the door open violently, unfortunately knocking someone over. Even more unfortunately, that someone is Stella.

"Well, shouldn't you help me?" she snaps angrily. I squat down next to her.

"Help _me_." I beg more than state.

"Okay, okay." She shushes me, seeing the desperate look in my eyes. "Now _get up_!"

* * *

After I explained the whole story about the ruby, she merely nodded.

"It's enchanted." She pauses, gauging the effect of her words. "The queen wasn't exactly a Sound of Music character in her early years. The king was well aware of that even before he was so fortunately betrothed to her. She messed with both dark and light powers, and without a keeper, she would go too far one day. When they got married, he wanted nuptial conditions."

"In the form of a ruby?" I guess.

"Very good, Flipper." She pats my head patronizingly. "He gave her the pair of earrings in exchange for her promise to never use magic again."

"She doesn't seem the kind of woman to keep her promises." I scoff, unbelievingly at the king's _naiveté._

"Patience, hon." Stella admonishes me. "The queen tried to practice magic nevertheless, but the king found out. In fact, the more she tried to conceal it, the quicker he discovered."

"What does the ruby have to do with this?" I ask, impatiently, despite her warning.

"The ruby is strongly influenced by magic. The looser the rubies came from their setting, the more magic she had used. The king sent his silversmith every day to check the diamond."

"When she came to see me, she had those rubies pierced through her ears."

"Doesn't surprise me. She loves to flaunt, especially in front of her enemies. Yes, dear, she considers you as an enemy. More, an arch nemesis, actually." She smiles knowingly at this. "I think she outdid herself with you hon, because apparently, one rock fell out." She smiles again, tossing the diamond to and fro in her hands.

"But that could also mean that _I _used magic on her, doesn't it?" I sigh.

"No no, the king and his engineers thought of that too, the rubies have different characteristics. There are two rubies that are influenced: if the upper one falls, she attacked someone. If the lower one drops out, she was assaulted. She stares at me intently, causing me to shake my head.

"I don't remember!" I cry out helplessly.

"Then _we'_ll just have to find out." She replies with sparkling eyes.

* * *

**A/N: Hi everyone! Firstly I would like to apologize and thank all of you for your patience. This chapter had been written a while ago, but I wasn't sure if it was 'post-able'. I was planning on writing a longer one, but I'll feel better if I just post this one to get back in the rhythm. God college is crazy! I'm in law school now, so I have more studying to do, that's why I need you guys to motivate me. Please don't let me down, you know you're great! :) **

**Special thanks to my friend, who listened to my random ramblings about Bloom and Sky and read a piece of a possible new story (anyone else interested btw?) in Greece. You know who you are ; )**

**I don't have time to reply to everyone's review now, so how about I'll just do it individually when you review this chapter (because technically FF doesn't allow me replying to reviews in my story. I know, kind of lame. Scratch that, very lame!)**

**Toodles!**

**II**

**PS: The queen will show up in the next chapter, because Bloom needs to do a little magic first, don't you think?**


	26. Blast

Chapter xxv: Blast

**I** had never thought i would enter the queen's bedroom. Ever.

And yet here I am, standing in the exaggeratedly baroque piece. It reminds me why I am a fan of 'Less is more' because it's absolutely hideous.

"Pssssh!" Stella motions me (in her subtle, quiet way) to continue the search for the earrings that could exonerate me and prove the queen's guilt. Stell flips over blankets, boxes, closets roughly, but always places everything back in the previous state of organized chaos.

"She's in the palace, Stella, you have few minutes left." Layla suddenly yelps through the walls, scaring the hell out of Stella and me. As Stella starts shouting back angrily, I notice a small rhomb-shaped box in an open drawer. The exact moment I lift the deliciously soft velvet lid, a familiar low voice shrieks (very uncharacteristically): "Holy shit, what are you doing here?" I recognize his voice, so I don't pay attention to Stella's babbling as a response to Sky's question, and I wipe away the spongy tissue that is covering –at least I hope it is- the jewel.

I feel myself staring in awe, hearing but not really listening, seeing but only what's right in front of me.

"1 minute, Stell!" Layla's not too serene voice doesn't faze me. In the back of my mind, I register how Stella starts panicking and rambling to Sky, who cuts her off with a strangely raw voice. The only thing I want to do is touch the silver outlines. I stretch my fingers and gasp horrified as my skin grazes the cold metal. Cold. Oh so cold. And through Stella's yelling and poking, I only remember one single thing.

_They're red. Scarlet. _

**Switch to Stella's POV:**

"**God** Layla, you scared me shitless!" I reply harshly and probably louder than necessary. "Shouldn't Tecna monitor?" I would just love to wipe that smirk –she probably has it on her countenance- off her face.

"She is, my dearest." Tecna reacts, a bit too sweetly. "However, my multitasking skills are limited and I only have one brain." She states sarcastically. "You're on a mission for Magix's sake! Stop whining about my representative." She snaps. "This is dangerous, be careful." She adds, a bit calmed down.

"Fine, fine." I mutter, trailing off to another closet. God how many closets can a woman have? Okay, okay, I'm doing the pot-kettle thing.

"Holy shit, what are you doing here." I spin around, frightened out of my wits.

"Sky! Oh my, what a relief! Thank god it's you. Well not really," I start talking to myself, "but still, it could have been a guard or something, and _that_ would mean trouble…" I continue to ramble, but I notice his look drifting off to Bloom, who is strangely fascinated by a deep red box. I call her name –she should at least say hi to Sky; they are like perfect for each other- and she doesn't reply. Sky doesn't shrug (which would have been the usual reaction from a guy being ignored), but he glares at her with such an anxious, intense look that it sends shivers down my spine. I yell her name again. And again.

"One minute!" –God, that woman is _bugging_ me!- And…shit!

"We have to get out of…" I startle when he grasps my shoulders and roars with a voice thick of emotion.

"What did you do to her?"

"God, nothing!" I exclaim, insulted and piqued. I start shaking Bloom by the shoulders, but she doesn't react. "She grabbed the box, got fascinated and then went all catatonic on me!" I shriek loudly.

"30 seconds, Stell!" Layla reminds me.

"BUZZ OFF!" I yelp and look at Sky desperately.

"I know a way." He sighs. He'd better know a way literally. "Take her." He commands me in a weird tone. He points us a door, hidden in a blue mahogany closet. I try to make Bloom levitate with a movement of my hand, but something is resisting my magic. Could it be…?

"Ten seconds, Stella!"

"Come on Bloom, move!" I yell panicked. Sky dashes over to her and whispers something in her ear. Her eyes widen, astounded, and her concentration-wise trance seems broken for a few seconds, so I'm able to shove her in the hole.

"She's here!" Layla whispers.

**Bloom**

**I** can hear her. Though maybe I'm dreaming this. It definitely seems so surreal.

Nothing. Nothing, nothing makes sense anymore.

Maybe I dreamt that I ever laid a finger on those cursed things. Maybe I imagined the three words Sky whispered urgently in my ear. I don't know what upsets me the most: the fact that I hear the woman who killed me talking to the man I desperately want but should not want… or those few syllables Sky trusted me.

I _don't_ understand.

How is it possible? It can't be. It can't be. Great, now my mind is stuck on repeat. Even while Stella's nudging me, I still think that it simply can't be.

Yet, why would he lie to me?

**Stella**

"**Phew**. That was close!" I whisper to Bloom, who's still playing mute. Maybe she thinks the queen can hear her. I think I just heard the queen call Sky 'the light of her life'. Hu. That woman has issues.

"Hey hon, you can stop playing Charlie Chaplin now." I try to quip, not very sure if the situation is humorous. Besides, I hope my voice can overstemmen the queen's, I don't think that voice would sound like music to Bloom's ears right now. She doesn't even twitch a muscle.

"What did he say to you?" Still no reaction. "Come on, tell me!" She keeps staring off into space, murmuring incomprehensible words. The only thing I'm able to understand is 'I' and 'you', but that's not really a great help.

"Bloom, you're scaring me, knock it off!" I shake her shoulders for the umpteenth time, but she remains in that paralyzed state. My heart skips a beat when a door opens on the other side.

"Sky, thank God!" I sigh, rubbing my forehead wearily. How was she able to resist my magic that heftily? I mean, I had to use all my strength to fight against it, and let's face it, I only got her to move because Sky jumped in. "Bloom." I try out in vain and raise my eyes at Sky. "She doesn't want to come out." I mutter, after I climbed out.

"Try again." He nudges me. I reach my hand through the door and poke her, but she doesn't respond. Major déjà-vu.

"You try." I say with a nod of my chin.

"No, no." he whispers nervously. "Try one more time. Please Stella?" He looks at me with his pleading deep eyes and … I cave. Fine.

"Fine. One. More. Try." I spell out slowly and repeat my previous actions. I nudge her harder, shake her shoulders five times, yell until my throat is sore. "You have to do it. I cannot lift her."

"What about your magic?" he asks, exasperated.

"I'm drained out Sky!" I complain crabbily. "Please just pick her up. You don't have to deal with her, okay? I'll take care of her." I try to convince him, but a low growl escapes from his throat. Wrong move, Stell.

"What the hell are you insinuating?" he bursts out. I lay my hand on his arm and softly coo him.

"Just do it. Please."

He stretches out his hand, but she shies away from him and crawls into the dark corner.

"Come on Bloom, it's not like you've never seen Sky before." Jeez, I bet she even saw him naked once. Stop picturing Sky naked, princess! The same boy looks at me with a tortured look.

"At least she moved." I offer, not flinching. Waw, that was lame-o. He braces himself and puts his arms through the hole, when suddenly a hissing sound echoes and a loud blow erupts, sending him flying across the hall, making him collide with the opposite wall. Hu.

**Bloom**

**He**'s trying to touch me, but I won't let him. My back aches and I can feel the tattoo crawling again, almost trying to break through my skin, as in an attempt to carve it once more. I press my hands against the wall and clench my teeth, bracing me for the next assault and more pain. When I see his horribly soft hands come through the opening, I yell (well, more screech)

"Don't touch me!"

In a matter of milliseconds, I realize he will not listen to me, so I push off and launch myself forward. I however don't move, yet something seems to stream out of my body and drags Sky away from me.

What did I do?

I start sobbing uncontrollably as Stella pats my back comfortingly, shushing me and whispering 'it's over'.

"Him, Stella. "I murmur through my teary hiccups. Her eyes widen after understanding, astounded, and she whispers back.

"Are you sure?"

"He told me." I simply reply and want to get up, but Stella pulls me back down with a furious look in her hazel eyes.

"Are you kidding me? You can't just walk away after you told me this!" she screeches.

"Stell, calm down. Keep up that pitch and only dogs will hear you." I shake my head, surprisingly soothed by throwing Sky into a wall and play the tell-tale about what he did.

"God, Bloom, come _on_! Don't you see how big this is?" She urges loudly.

"Stella, BFF of mine," I sigh theatrically, "of course I do. But unless that wasn't Sky defying gravity a few minutes ago, I have to check on him." I mock, jumping to my feet spryly. I feel… fresh.

"I bet you do." She murmurs, rolling her eyes.

* * *

"Sky honey, I'm sorry." I whisper, kneeling down in front of him. He tilts his head up.

"Hey, that's okay. I kind of deserved that." He mumbles, struggling to stand up.

"Damn straight." I laugh gingerly, already feeling the weight on my lower eyelids increase. "God…"

"Not the waterworks again, hu?" He smiles, wiping away the first tears. "I'm not good at plumbing." He tries to joke with a goofy look on his face.

"Okay, I know you recently had a collision with this wall," I pat the respective wall, "but that was a very lame joke."

"I don't get slammed into walls by girls every day, you know." He sternly retorts.

"Well, we can always practice on that." I flash him a coy smile.

"Hey, love birds, you have an audience, so knock it off. I don't need to see a gross sucking fest."

"Stella, just because Br…" I start, infuriated, but Sky cuts me off by covering my mouth with his two hands.

"2 more minutes, pretty please, Stella?" he shows her a charming bright smile.

"Hey!" I slap his chest indignantly. "Those smiles are supposed to be exclusively for me."

"This one was too, Bloom." He whispers against my ear, sending a chill down my spine. A very hot chill. Damned hormones.

"Sky, we have to talk about this, I mean…" I shut up, not knowing what question to ask first.

"I know." He only answers. "You deserve to know the whole truth. However… I really need to change first." He looks pointedly at his dirty, torn clothes.

"Yeah, you definitely should get thrown into a wall more often. The rough look works for you." I rub his arm comfortingly, but start blushing as I realize what I just said. He stares at me intently as I complete the transformation from normal face to tomato.

"It'll take just a few minutes." He promises me, letting his arms linger around my hips casually. I love that about him. Screw it, I would even be able to love him if I just got to know the whole truth. I want to turn away, but he spins me back, pulling me flush against his body (and almost making me swoon)

"Make sure you're alone." He whispers to my hair. I gaze at him wide-eyed until Stella yanks me away from him.

"That was 2 minutes and 6 seconds, you airhead!" she bites angrily. I shake my head and start walking away from them. Before I turn around the corner, I notice he's still trying to reason with Stella. Poor boy. No, stupid boy! Why did he have to get me all excited for two totally different things? I do know my priorities, though. If I have to choose between A) knowing what happened or B) have steamy sex with Sky, I would take B. I mean A.

Maybe I should change.

* * *

My stomach makes a summersault when I hear three soft knocks. I open the door happily, but my expression falters at the sight. The person standing in front of me doesn't notice, enters and closes the door behind her.

"This can't be happening." I mumble to myself, still stuck on the same spot.

"About time you start believing then." She drawls mockingly and locks the doors and windows with a wave of her hand. "I have to say dear, I was a tad disappointed. You almost forgot my royal existence."

"Almost?" My voice cracks.

"Well, you've probably had a few anxiety attacks and altogether not very pleasant flashbacks."

"Why now?" I clench my teeth.

"The question ought to be: why not earlier?" She rolls her eyes. "I figured this was an appropriate moment. Besides, your friends and my capable staff have been watching you like a hawk. That was rather annoying." She murmurs as she walks to the bay window. "Now seems like a great time. You're alone and you're weak. Princess." She hisses the last word menacingly.

"I need to know why." I whisper motionless.

"Why should you?"

"Because I'm dying anyway." I reply boldly.

"Oh yes." She nods calmly. "That's right. In that case..." She moves her arm and makes me collide with the wall behind me. "Let's get started."

**A/N: Yup yup. How much do you hate me now? :) Honestly, I thought you deserved a nice christmas chapter! XL and all ;) Merry Christmas everyone!**

**Thanks for your patience and special thanks to:**

**annika22: **Yes I will finish this story! Thank you so much for that review :)

**Totally Lori: **Good heavens woman! You're amazing, I'll PM you ;) x

**Skylar Stars: **thanks, it's supposed to be confusing, btw :) If you have any questions though, let me know!

**FireFairy219: **Could you... like beta for me? :D Since you're a super cool university student now? Pretty please? Or maybe you could just be advisor? I'll PM!

**Starfire1994: **thank you! happy holidays!

**BloomandSky4ever: **thanks! More Sky to come... :) He's a special boy :D xoxo

**I'll probably PM most of you!**

**Bye and Happy New Year too (it's not very probable I'll be able to upload another chapter before 1/01, since I have exams to study for ... but I'm writing! Wish me luck)**

**x**

**II**


	27. Fairytales

**A/N: Hi everyone! This is the last chapter of Déjà-Vu, I think everything will be clear after this chapter. I will post an epilogue for real closure in a few weeks. Maybe a bit earlier if I have the chance. I am sorry the update took so long, but I did something terribly stupid, namely deleting this chapter when it was completely finished. So I had to reconstruct is all over again… that took a lot of time. But here it is, enjoy!**

Chapter xxvi: Fairytale

_I saved you._

"Why?" My voice cracks with difficulty.

"Stop asking darling, you don't want to know." With a swift motion of her hand, my body flies upwards and collides with the floor again in a matter of seconds. Why hasn't this killed me already? She must have pulled this trick about eleven times. Yet the only pain I experience, is that cursed tattoo crawling vigorously underneath my skin. It wants to get out. The queen seems to have equal musings about my stamina because she squats down next to me and sighs.

"Since this is going to take a while… I'll enlighten you." She says, getting up, before she makes a graceful, yet scornful bow. "It started out rather innocently." She whispers as I feel an iron fist closing over my neck. "So innocently." She grins devilishly as I start choking when the grip tightens.

"But then…" The hold over my neck disappears instantly and I collapse again, coughing and gasping for air.

"Diaspro." I manage to squeak out between hurling coughs.

"Very good, my dear." She replies dismissively.

"Why was she at Redfountain?" I question, not-understanding.

"Well hon, as much as _I_ disliked your unwanted liaison, I was afraid the press would enjoy it very much."

"So you wanted them to know about Diaspro instead?" I deduce.

"Anything would be better than…" She makes a gesture as if she wants to toss something away. "Originally, I never intended him to marry Diaspro. She was not high enough in rank." As I open my mouth to protest, she holds up her hand, shaking her long tresses. "I know she gives herself airs. Anyhow, she ended up being a worthy candidate to discourage you. I helped you by granting you privacy with my dear son and you just… threw that _away_? You weren't supposed to get attached, princess." She hisses menacingly.

"But why not?! I love your son. How could that be a problem?" I ask, desperately trying to understand her motives.

"The problem is that he loved you back. He wanted to marry you!" she exclaims disparagingly. '_Loves_', my mind corrects her. "You were barely eighteen and I wasn't even forty!" She continues disdainfully.

"How does that concern you? I don't understand!"

"Of course you don't. I'll tell you because you won't be able to get out of here alive." We'll see about that. "Eraklyon is a rather conservative monarchy. For example, our Constitution states that the crown prince must be married if he chuses to ascend the throne. The King is an old man, hon, he already was when I married him… Still, he would keep ruling if Sky didn't marry. But when Sky found this eligible fiancée of his, his father agreed to step aside. Very touching."

"I never asked for that." I interject angrily, but she plants her foot in my side and kicks me.

"If you would have listened to me in the first place, this wouldn't be necessary! If Sky would have agreed with Diaspro, everything would have been completely different. I know he doesn't love her and it is a custom in our circles to postpone the wedding until the father has formally consented by announcing to abdicate. But Sky wouldn't wait for _you_, no no." She shakes her head ironically. "Do you know what he said to me? '_Screw protocol'_ I never taught him those words." She yells at the top of her lungs. "It's… all… your… fault!" She puffs as she kicks me in the gut at every word.

"I deserve to be queen! Because of the rigid rules in this country, I would be for a very long time. The power! The freedom! It's the only thing worth living for in this forsaken place." For a millisecond, I think I perceive a certain sadness in her dark eyes, but her mood changes again instantly. "And you want to take that away from me? The only thing I have left?" She is one unhappy woman. Still…

"That doesn't give you the right to kill me." I object, trying to stand up.

"Sure it does." She puts her foot against my elbow, making me fall again. "I am the Queen of Eraklyon." She yells angrily and slaps me in the face twice. I start laughing as she wants to strike again.

"You really don't get it, do ya?" I chuckle.

"What on Eraklyon are you talking about?" She spews uncharacteristically.

"I did not know queens were supposed to be this dense." I retort.

"This is only going to make it hurt more darling." She punches me in the gut with a chandelier, making me huff.

"You really don't get it!" I now state more than question.

"Since you're so bright." She snatches a couple of strands of my hair and bashes my head into the wall. "Enlighten me."

"I am not going to attack you." I spell out slowly. To my surprise, she lets out a cackling laugh.

"Oh, like you did last time." She catches me off guard and plunges a knife into my flesh, making me yelp in pain. "We all remember what happened then."

"_I did as you ordered me to, your majesty." I drone motionlessly._

"_Very good my love. To show you my gratitude, I would like to…"_

"_Mother?!" a familiar voice calls out unbelievingly._

"_Sky? What are you doing here?" I ask, panicking._

"_You set this up, you dirty whore!" His mother wants to lash out at me, but Sky stops her._

"_Mother, what's happening?" he asks, astounded. "Don't hurt her." He says, glancing at me._

"_Sky, this is none of your business. Leave. Now."_

"_No mother! Not until you…" his angry voice is muffled by his dear mother's hand on his mouth. _

"_Shut up!" She demands and mutters a few words, sending him flying into a shed and locking him up safely. As I feel myself heat up, fuelled by my anger, I recall Sky's words …'Don't hurt her.' He was talking to me. He didn't want me to hurt his mother. I calm down gradually as the queen eyes me curiously. I start murmuring the words for the spell. After three sentences, I already feel the magic being drained out of me, forming a radiant bubble around me. Few minutes later I collide with the floor._

"_I should have known you were to weak."_

"_But… I have given him up. I love him!"_

"_No,_I_love him, he is my son." A blow. I feel I am colliding with the hard shingle. The last thing I perceive are her eyes, that turned pitch-black, that disgrace the ever-glistening rubies decorating her ears. They're red._

_Scarlet._

"Well, that would be just fine for me, hon." She smiles maliciously. I can't let her get to me now.

"I'm still a little vague on the details, could you fill that in for me?" I ask, fake doe-eyed. I scream loudly as she pulls the knife out of my upper arm with torturing slow jerks. This is not a killing by inches, but by hairbreadths.

"Oh no! I remember!" I cry out, much to her surprise. "Your son saved me!" Her eyes turn from pitch-black to that one colour I love and despise.

"Liar!" She screams hysterically. She lunges her knife at me sloppily, so I can avoid it by jumping out of the way, which reminds me of the throbbing pain in my arm.

"You don't know for sure, do ya?" I taunt her. "That's why you're freaking out."

"Queens don't freak out, Earth girl." She replies icily.

"Oh fine. You are worried. Because I know what happened a few minutes ago, before I met you here. And you don't."

_I open the door nervously._

"_I have a plan." I blurt out before he even steps in._

"_I had something in mind myself." He replies with a concerned look. "This has got to end."_

"_I don't want to meet her here." I look at the ground, embarrassed._

"_Of course not. Go to my room. I will make sure she finds you there. Tecna already put cameras and microphones." He nods at me reassuringly. "I already told Stell, by the way."_

"_Oh, that's why she was looking at you like that." I nod understandingly._

"_Like what?" he asks confusedly._

"_Like she was going to decapitate you." I answer abruptly. "I'm scared." I confess with a tiny voice._

"_That's okay." He reacts by pulling me into a hug. I retract myself from his embrace after a few minutes, blushing as he leans in until our foreheads touch. When I tilt my trembling head up to make our lips meet, he averts his cheek slightly._

"_I'm sorry Bloom… I…"_

"_Of course." I reply absently. "Maybe you should leave." I add coolly, glaring at him._

"_Bloom…I…"_

"_Please." I plead quietly. "Please Sky."_

"_No." he take my hands in his. "You'll never be able to face her in your current emotional state. You need to be strong, Bloom." He sighs and presses his lips on my left ring finger. "I do not regret saving your life that day, Bloom. I do not repent the fact that I stood up against my mother for you. I _am _ sorry I let it get that far. You're the rose Bloom. You're my scarlet rose. And I love you, I do. God, too much." He shakes his head. "But this is difficult for me too. She is my mother."_

"_I know that Sky. I could have killed her, you know." He flinches at the word. "But I didn't, because of you, you idiot."_

"_She will pay for this, Bloom." He stares at me intently._

"_Why didn't you visit me when I was in coma, in the hospital?" I ask bluntly._

"_Because I was afraid. I already got you killed once. It was all my fault Bloom. I could never have borne the guilt if you had gotten hurt a second time because of me."_

"_I'm trying to understand that logic, but…"_

"_After I saved you on Sparx, I called Faragonda. I have been working with her from the day of your death till now to make sure you ended up… like you used to be."_

"_It will never be like it used to be." I reply coldly. "So everything you did around me was just a charade?"_

"_Well…" he chuckles to my surprise. "It was supposed to be. I had to be gently when I met you again. Yet I touched you. I grasped every chance I could to talk to you, to listen to you, to feel you… I didn't really respect my boundaries. You can't blame me, huh?" he winks, looking at me appreciatively. His face expression changes to grave again. "Do you honestly believe I could orchestrate my feelings for you?" he asks seriously._

"_Of course not." I reply, angry at my quick earnest response. My anger subsides nonetheless._

"_Look, I know this conversation is far from over, but I really have to go. Go to my room and try not to freak out. If I am able to stop by, I will. Wait for the three knocks on the door."_

"_Okay." I nod, glancing at him. "What are you up to?"_

"_There's one more person I have to take care of for tricking my girlfriend into kissing him." He snickers and presses a soft kiss on my lips. "This will all be over soon, Bloom. I love you."_

"That is NOT true!"

"And how would you know? You weren't in my bedroom half an hour ago and at Sparx, you left after you gave me that final kick, into the water. That was a nice move by the way. It actually saved my life. That must be karma." She jumps forward and grabs me by the throat, choking me.

"I am going to kill you!" she growls. That's my girl. I raise my finger, informing her that I have one more thing to say.

"Famous last words? I know I won't remember them." She loosens her grip slightly, so I squeak out.

"Actually, that kick wasn't really karma." I smile as I hear the door creak open, which makes her determinate expression falter. Her hands fall limp next to her body as she sees her husband enter, followed by Sky, the Three, the Winx and the Specialists. "_That_ is karma." I tell her.

"No, no, no, no!" she wails desperately as Faragonda steps forward and hugs me.

"I apologize for your suffering Bloom. I am proud of you." Her gray-blue eyes sparkle with dignity and pride. She turns to the queen gravely.

"Your Majesty, the Queen, you are hereby arrested for the murder on crown prince Bloom of Sparx, magical treason, …" As Faragonda sums up all the Queen's crimes, Sky doesn't blink. He just stares at his father numbly. The latter moves forward and whispers uncertainly.

"Niobe?" Irony much. "What did I do?" Oh my God, he blames himself.

"You married me." The Queen retaliates coldly as Faragonda softly ties the magical shackles around her alabaster wrists.

"I thought we were happy." He tries again.

"You hypocrite!" she flares up. "You knew I wasn't! You tried to lock me up, you never came to see me, except for those horrible weekly visits to my bedroom!" She rages. Okay, this is kinda private. "You never made me happy Richard, you only made yourself happy." The King bows his head in defeat. When he looks up again, he looks ten years older.

"If that is how you feel, Countess." He emphasizes the last word bitterly. "You have hereby abdicated yourself from the throne by neglecting your marital duties. You are now no longer Niobe, Queen of Eraklyon. You are now again Niobe, Countess of Serleto."

"You had to take that away from you, didn't you?" She murmurs. When he doesn't reply, she repeats it louder. "Didn't you?!"

"Stop it mother!" Sky interferes calmly by stepping between his father and his mother, towering over them both. As this happens, Stella cannot contain herself any longer and she dashes over to me, choking me in a hug.

"Um, Stella… you have to let me go. I'm kinda hurt."

"Oh my GOD! I am so glad you are alive! I flipped when Sky explained that risky plan. I thought I was going to _decapitate_ him!" She babbles quickly. Brandon joins us and wraps a protective arm around Stella's waist.

"Hey!" he greets me as if this is merely a casual encounter between friends. "You have a little something on your arm." He removes his hand from Stella's side to push his bangs out of the way and points at the bleeding wound.

"Oh my GOD!" Stella screeches frantically. "Is that BLOOD?!" This last word attracts the attention of the other Winx. Especially when Stella promptly faints.

"Oh great." Musa sneers, while Tecna rolls her eyes ostentatiously.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Flora asks kindly. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. _I only want this to end. _

"I am fine Flora. I just need some bandages." I smile, at ease.

"Or not." Layla remarks, glancing at my arm.

"Hey, it has healed!" Riven remarks.

"Waw Riven, that is such a keen observation!" Musa mocks and winks at Layla.

"Oh shut up!" He retorts gruffly and squeezes her in the waist, making her yelp indignantly.

"I guess she's back." Timmy smiles at me before squatting down next to Tecna, who is slapping Stella's cheek rhythmically, whilst looking very irritated.

As I capture Sky's look, who is watching his mother being carried off, Stella seems to recover.

"Hey Bloom." Musa grins widely. "You might wanna check a mirror."

As is slowly move towards a nearby mirror, Brandon exclaims gaily:

"She's little red riding head again!"

"God Brandon, now you ruined the surprise!" Stella reprimands him. Guess she woke up alright. "And that is still a bad joke!"

I look at my reflection resignedly. I am a redhead once more. As I want to feel is the tattoo is still there, Sky guesses my thoughts as he appears behind me, and he slips his hand underneath my t-shirt. I shiver as he hands roam my skin tenderly, but realize the tattoo is still here. As I stare at him in the looking glass, he runs his fingers through my hair softly. And then he whispers three blissful words:

"It's over."

Three tiny lies, because something inside me screams the complete opposite.

_No, I have only just begun._

**A/N: I still have something left to say to several people**

**Firefairy219: **Boo-yah! Finally : ) I was starting to get upset with myself for not updating! Oh and I would appreciate it if you could spot errors in my writing. But only if you want to! Don't do it if it reminds you of school, 'kay? How's college working out for you? Kheb proefexamen verbintenissen (srry, te tam om op te zoeken int Engels ;)) donderdag. Mondeling… Brrrrr… And I have two more after the easter holidays. Although easter holidays aren't really holidays, are they? Paasblok :D Have to go now, I have to reply to Totally Lori's review (it requires some serious concentration) xD

**Totally Lori**: I sent you an e-mail by the way : ) I'm happy with every review you turn in, you know. (god I am sucking up right now, but it's still the truth!) Sorry about the cryptic thing in the previous chapter, but I think I made everything a lot clearer now… right? :D That's how it's supposed to be. And you know, I mean to write something where people think about.. Not just read and smile. (though I already accept that one too.)

I'm glad you liked what I did to Layla, because it was kinda for you :D Just kidding, it was totally for you! And I thought it was funny. Funny funny me. Okay, randomness is starting to kick in. and I'm hungry. I have to go, but I'll get back to you about that other thing (sounds secretive, huh?) And uhm, I passed my Christmas exams, by the way. X

**Princessbloom94:** I did write more in the new year, I guess you just expected it to be sooner. Trust me, so did I. blame my totally not-sufficient computer skills. Thanks for your review : ) x

**Allya Ride: **You see, that is not a very nice thing to say: 'stupid cliffy'. It doesn't motivate me to update faster. You may have been right though, but that's the reason why this is a suspense story, after all… Ah and you got the Saladin-quip in ch18. I salute you! Bye! x3

**Steph19steph: **Hey, welcome! New blood! I see you favorited me a couple of times, too. I'm glad you like my story. And I am super-glad you reviewed! I LOVE reviews! : ) Toodles! X

**And a BIG thank you to my other readers! I know you're out there, even if you don't review and I thank you for reading! (I'll get back to that in the epilogue)**

**Toodles!**

**X**

**II**


	28. Epilogue

Epilogue

"I have two more things to ask you." I take a deep breath. I'm sitting in Faragonda's newly reclaimed office in Alfea. A few hours ago she kicked professor Avalon (who was her substitute) out of the room and told me everything: how Sky saved my life, how he called her, how she made sure I got a job in the Palace of Eraklyon, how she tried to keep the Queen out of the picture until I had gained strength..

"Go ahead." She nods. "I suppose it has something to do with the Count of Wehrinde." She smiles knowingly. I sigh relieved.

"What side was he on?"

"He was supposed to be on our side. You see, it was a little dangerous to … expose you to prince Sky very early." I flush at her words. "The Queen would notice his altered behavior. So I admit I deliberately confused you about your own identity by introducing Alistair in your life. And love life. But it served a higher purpose, you know. I trusted him."

"Then why…" I am not angry with her, I only want to know the truth.

"Did I write that gruesome note to Sky to keep Alistair away from you?" She completes my question. "I suspected Alistair from being in touch with the Queen a little too often. And I had a feeling he was falling for you. I'm not sure he had particular tender feelings, but his hormones were very active, to say the least. Anyhow, I didn't inform him much about you, but one way or another, he started to discover who you were. That was very dangerous. We thought Sky would be the perfect person to put the Count in his place. We figured he was already able to … control himself around you."

"You should have known better." I give her a small smile.

"We should have." She nods, agreeing. "The outline of the note was not my idea, by the way, it…"

"It was Griffin's." I interject. She raises an eyebrow. "I'm sorry." I quickly apologize. "I just assumed…"

"You were right, Ms Bloom. Griffin has always had a strange sense of humour and… persuasive skills." She smirks at a funny reminiscence.

"The letter, secondly." I practically command. I cover my mouth with my hand. "I'm sorry, it wasn't supposed to come out that way!" she raises her hand soothingly.

"It's fine. For once." She adds, a bit sternly, but she smiles nonetheless. "You don't have any more questions?" She asks with a quizzical look.

"I have a ton of questions, Ms Faragonda, but I want to find my own answers to the other questions."

"You have no idea how proud you make me, Bloom of Sparx." She stands up and walks over to me. "I will leave now and I will have you letter sent in. It is probably not how you picture it, but it has transformed in its original form because you already discovered everything that was in it. I took the liberty to take it from you room." She smiles and hugs me one last time. After that, she waved the door open with a gesture of her hand, revealing Sky standing there with a glistening black tube in his hand. They cross each other, winking, as Sky enters and Faragonda walks out.

"Hey." I whisper breathlessly as he stops one foot away from me.

"I have something for you." He says with a familiar twinkle in his eye and puts the tube out at me. I take it from him and look up surprised when our hands tingle against each other agreeably in the process. I tug at the tube carefully and suddenly the black cloth disappears, showing me a remarkably glittering red rose.

_I look at the scarlet flower, still burning ardently, and realize it will betray me._

"Is this…?" I barely manage to utter those two words. He nods, smiling.

"It's my rose for you and your former letter. I don't know how you did it, but you were absolutely bent on you remembering everything in case of an accident. Rather remember than love me again, I suppose."

"You know that is not true." I whisper inaudibly as he entwines our fingers.

"Well of course you couldn't resist me." He lightens the mood cockily. I slap his shoulder with my free hand, but grasp his fingers even more tightly.

"I don't think I was meant to remember everything so sudden. I was supposed to find the letter, read it immediately -stupid of me not to-" I glance at his guilty face ", remember fragments of our relationship through the letter and then… realize?" I shake my head wearily. "How did I ever think of such a thing?" I ask, not understanding.

"Yeah, stupid you." He nudges me with his shoulder. "I think it was pretty brilliant though. I mean, you got to hide the rose from me because you knew it would continue to sparkle _and_ you found a way to transport your thoughts in the letter. There was only one flaw." He smiles and pulls a green leaf out of his pocket. "It wasn't indestructible." He lets the leaf float around the rose and it magically attaches itself to the stalk.

"I was that good in magic, huh?" I joke, trying to ignore the sting of tears.

"You were good at everything." He says seriously. "Doing magic, doing acting…" he sums up and grins mischievously. "… doing me."

"Oh shut up!" I smile involuntarily as he presses a kiss on my temple. "I have one more question for you. Promise you won't be mad." He nods, signaling me to continue. "Why did you follow me that night? You didn't believe what I said about your mother and I told you quite convincingly I did not love you." I sob softly.

"Hey." He whispers and places his free hand on my cheek. "You were pretty convincing, but when I came home and opened my closet, expecting to see a withered rose, the flower sparkled just like it used to. The colour had changed from scarlet to almost burgundy, but it was there and very much blooming.

"I love you, Sky." I say distinctly and kiss his lips. His hand moves from his cheek to my waist and pulls me closer.

"Always." He confirms, kissing me again.

"And forever." I complete, smiling.

"Well, I am not so sure about that one." He quips and captures my lips in a long, searing kiss. I pull away after two minutes, panting heavily.

"Always and forever, Scarlet Rose." He whispers and moves his hands to my hips to pull me flush against my body. Something changes when he kisses me after that final statement. He starts walking, continually kissin me, until we bump into book shelves. He traps me between his arms and grins. Uh oh, I know that look.

"No." I say decisively. He leans in and kisses my neck slowly.

"Really?" he quickly glances up at my distorted face.

"Sky, we cannot make out in Faragonda's office!" I whisper hoarsely as he attacks my neck again.

"God it sounds even more exciting when you say it." He says and covers my lips again. I try to fight back, but it only makes him kiss me even more fiercely. He coaxes my mouth open and before I can react, he slips his tongue in my mouth.

"Sky…" I groan as he moves his hand under my blouse and tugs at the clasp of my bra teasingly.

"Sounds like a yes to me." He glances at me again, his usual clear blue eyes darkened by lust. Before he makes his next move –he will probably wrap my legs around his hips- I manage to switch positions and push him against the shelves.

"NO!"

"You're no fun." He pouts and I place my hands on his mouth to prevent him from kissing me again. He knows too well he would succeed. "Fine." He gives in. "But you…" he pinches me in the waist, making me shriek. "Have…"

"Some serious making up to do." I roll my eyes. "Find a new line."

"Well." He scoops me up unexpectedly. "You have to take a shower with me." He lowers his voice seductively. "A cold one."

I said my goodbyes to the girls yesterday evening. The only thing that's left to do is say goodbye to Sky. 'Only' thing. If I recall how the last goodbyes went, I'm not really looking forward to this one…

* * *

_**Stella**_

"Hi." I greet her, feeling small for the very first time in these past 48 hours. The euphoria has died down and been replaced by worry and a new-found reluctance to leave.

"Don't you 'hi' me, Ms Bloom." She narrows her eyes. "Or should we call each other 'princess' again?" I smirk at her transparent test.

"That would be a first." I smile, making her laugh loudly.

"You haven't changed a fingernail." I raise an eyebrow dubiously. "Although…" she murmurs quizzically. "Since when do you paint your fingernails… blue?"

"I'm leaving Stell, there's no use."

"You really are leaving, huh?" She asks rhetorically, suddenly sounding vulnerable and croaky. "I've known for a while that you would do this. I would offer the help of the Winx, but we have nothing to do with it, really." I shake my head negatively at her last addendum.

"Of course you do! And you know it. But you…" I bow my head wordlessly and she takes my hand.

"I understand. We will be there when you need us." She pulls me into a soft hug.

"I will need you." I confirm, also anxious to convince myself.

"Then we will come." She replies simply. "Now go before my mascara smudges." She sniffs. "Musa's waiting for you in her room."

"Goodbye Stella. I'll miss you." I whisper, more to myself as I walk out.

"Bloom!" Halt. "Don't wear anything orange." I shriek, fake-offended and throw her a mischievous glare.

"Have we _met_?"

I hear her chuckle and sob at the same time as I close the door behind me. I sigh and take a deep breath before entering Musa and Tecna's room.

_**Musa**_

"I wrote something for you." She announces without looking up as I step in the room.

"Musa." I begin. This is going to be hard.

"It's right here." She stammers and starts tossing papers and cd's on the red carpet furiously.

"Musa." I speak a little louder.

"I'm gonna find it. Damn." She curses as a glass falls down and shatters angrily.

"Musa!" I say sharply. At that third call, she finally raises her eyes and meets mine, trembling. "I am leaving tomorrow morning."

"And I need to give you something." She replies stubbornly.

"Musa… you're holding it." I point at the small mp3-player clenched in her right hand. And just like that, she breaks down. She sinks down on her knees, crying. I squat down next to her and engulf her in a hug. "I'll listen to it every day." she sends me a watery smile as reply to my promise.

"You shouldn't. It's kinda sad." She snorts.

"I don't believe that. There's always hope in your songs."

"Why is that?" she asks, looking like a lost child as she leans her head on my shoulder.

"Because there always is." I kiss her forehead. "You're not rid of me yet. I will need your help as I already told Stell."

"Of course you need us." She tilts her head to look me in the eye innocently. "Kinda like we need you."

"Where's Layla?" I ask, mentally running over the 'goodbye list'.

"She's not here. One person less to say goodbye to."

"Gives me time to sit five more minutes with you."

And so we sit there for five more minutes.

_**Tecna**_

"I'm not gonna cry."

"I did not ask you." I smile a little at her obstinacy.

"I made you this." She whispers and slides something over to me that looks like a small baby blue cell phone. "It's a gps connected to my pc. And it can send messages in every dimension. Well…" She stammers uncertainly. "In almost every dimension. But I'm sure that wherever you are going…"

"Thank you." I whisper warmly, interrupting her. "I love it. I didn't expect anything less from you, Tecna." Pause. "I don't know where I'm going. Wherever I lead myself… Sparx?" I murmur to myself.

"I'm sorry I doubted you." She suddenly bursts out.

"That's okay Tec, I mean… I didn't believe myself to be Bloom, so why the hell would you have believed it instantly?"

"But the others…" She wants to protest.

"They were not that convinced Tecna." I smile. "Besides, you only wanted to protect yourself from the illusion. I get it. What if I _had_ been someone else? All that false hope for… nothing?"

"I'm not gonna cry." She repeats and takes my hand, placing the gps in it.

"We're not gonna cry." I agree and hold her like that for a while.

_**Flora**_

"Thought I'd find you here." I make my arrival known in Flora's little flower garden.

"I was just harvesting your gifts." She answers, glancing at me with moist eyes. "I am really sorry I'm crying, Bloom." She quickly apologizes as she puts seeds in a small green velvet purse almost lovingly. "I tried not to."

"It's fine, Tecna didn't cry, so I can take it."

"As soon as she sees Musa, she'll cry too." She replies drily. She motions for me to sit down next to her on a white bench. She sighs. "We had just accepted that you were … you and now you're leaving. You have to realize it's all very puzzling and shocking for us too. Don't misinterpret me, we all understand that it's even more turbulent in your mind, but you're not the only one who's confused."

"I needed someone to say that to me, Flora."

"That's why I am here." She pauses and looks at the sun that is disappearing behind the horizon, coloring the sky in magnificent red and pink. "Here." She places the purse in my hands. "There are ten different seeds in it."

"Thank you." But how do I know what they are for?

"You'll know when to use them." She suddenly speaks up, reading my mind. She glances at me with an amused twinkle in her green eyes.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" I ask her, referring to the newly decorated heavens.

"And it will be there wherever you go." She smiles happily.

"It will be different every time." I reply.

"Everything is eventually." She glances at me as a few tears drop of her chin sadly.

"Don't cry." I request as we move to the grass field simultaneously and automatically. She sniffs and looks at me with wide, teary eyes.

"Let's watch it together."

* * *

That's how it went. And I was a little down with the prospect that I had to repeat this saddening process with Sky too. Yet, when I saw him, I immediately cheered up.

"You realize I have to do this alone, right?" I ask tentatively.

"Aren't I your better half then?" he arches one eyebrow, making me smile lightly. I do know I must not cave now. The solitude on this trip is crucial. For me.

"Not yet. Only I have to do this." I reply calmly, kissing his temple.

"But I can come with you, right?" he inquires with an admiringly coy look on his face.

"Sky." I whisper, laying a hand on his cheek. "This experience is about me. The whole point is that I do it alone." Yeez, I sound like a selfish bitch. If that's what it takes… I pause when his eyes fixate on my eyes. "I love you, but…" I'm interrupted by his lips on mine. "What I was going to say…" he pecks me on the lips again. "Will you let me finish again?"

"I love you too." He replies brightly.

"I know. Now what was I saying?" I ask, confused.

"That I'm accompanying you on your personal trip." He suggest with a sly smile.

"Nice try." I pat him on the shoulder. "But…" and then he cuts me off again.

"You know, the way I see it," he pulls me on his lap spontaneously, "there are two options."

"There are no options." I react, more amused than annoyed by his various attempts to come with me. "You stay here and look after your kingdom. I have to go and be me. It's really simple." I explain patiently.

"There are two options." He repeats stubbornly, making me roll my eyes. "One, you let me go together with you voluntarily."

"Absolutely not. No question." I interrupt him firmly.

"Then there's option number two since one is a no-go. I will be sneaky and come with you anyway. I wouldn't choose that way, it's full of lurking shadows, me peeping through your window at night, following you…"

"So you will be following me?" I verify.

"Yes." He confirms confidently, probably thinking he won this battle.

"Tracking my every move?"

"Yes." He replies, a bit less confident.

"Peeking through my window at night?"

"Yes!" he answers, looking suspicious of me now.

"Be my personal stalker, altogether?" I summarize briefly.

"Yeah." He says reluctantly and bows his head down in defeat as he sees Faragonda is busy creating a portal for me.

"Cool." I smile happily. "I choose option number 2."

"What? Are you serious?"

"Like a heart attack."

"Me following you?"

"Exactly."

"Tracking your every move?"

"Can't wait."

"Peeking through your window at night?"

"Perfect." I smile and kiss his cheek. "You know what? I might leave the window ajar one day." I wink and start inching away from him slowly.

"I'm gonna hold you to that!" He yells after me.

"I'm gonna miss you too hon." I walk away, probably smiling to myself.

I stand in front of the portal, glancing over at the girls, Faragonda and Sky. It's time to go.

On to discover what I had forgotten, but couldn't live without.

Me.

**A/N: Boo! Looooong epilogue, I know, but the loose end needed tying up. If that's even an expression : ) I want to thank ALL of you. Reviewers, readers, people who added me to favorite/alerts… I love that, thank you so much!**

**I really enjoyed writing this story, even though I couldn't always come up with a following chapter. That's why I'm writing a new story a little differently. I already have the whole thing in my head and I have already written half of the chapters. Updates will be faster then. Finally; I got some sense, I know!**

**Anyhow, THANKS TO EVERYONE and I will hopefully see you on the next one (PREVIEW and SUMMARY in my profile)**

**Special thanks to**

**Sailormoon846212: **I am so glad you understand! And thank you so much for putting that in a review for me. Hope you will read my next story too. The best of luck to you : )

**TotallyLori: **You know, I am very glad you analyze my characters the way you do. Because, there really IS more to them than meets the eye. And I never wanted to portray Sky as clueless (though I made an exception in 'Dancing Alone' – he was really stupid in that story-), certainly not in this story. These intrigues required a sufficient amount of intelligence : ) Yeah, I found the names too, you can even enter them as characters for Winx Club stories now. Weird. Anyhow, if you want to check my new story, I have a totally new idea, other than the one I sent you. I'll PM you. (it has been a long time) Love you xD

**Firefairy219: **Oké, dat nieuwe verhaal wordt zotjes :p Ik ben er nog niet uit welke rating ik ga geven (T of M) en wat ik ze allemaal ga doen doen tesamen (k, rare zin, ma je snapt het wel ;)) And i did mean the murder, because she did die on Sparx, remember : )? Okay, I will send you a draft this week and you can send it back whenever you like, considering your exams and the studying. Succes, btw!

**Phantom Teresa fan**

**Allya Ride**

**Princessbloom94**

**Winxprincess**

**Anika22**

**Skylar Stars**

**Starfire1994**

**xBloomStarx**

**iEatCOOKiES **haha, I love your pen name now : D

**booklover4177**

**firebloom101**

**-Sashaaa.' **With her little problem.

**Dancingfool101**

**Destination's d e s t i n y **where did you disappear to anyway?

**AnnabethChase5450**

**Simone Robinson**

**PrayerSenshi**

**Ameliato2004**

**Waterbendergirl101**

**Angelgrl31392**

**Running angel**

**Story-Goddess**

**I'M A CULLEN**

**.Mikly**

**Gem Child**

**Vividus**

**Jaaziniah**

**SunMeetsStars**

**PhoebeTheQueenOfDragons**

**Bloomforever**

**Kitcool**

**Joy-lovely**

**I had no idea there were so many different reviewers! Thank you! And alerters, favouriters (I just made up two new words) and other readers!**

**PREVIEW OF MY NEW STORY ON MY PROFILE**

**Bye everyone!**

**X**

**IsisIsabella (who sends love to all of ya ; ))**


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